Training of Hong Kong police dog handlers questioned
Death of three Belgian shepherds last year raises concerns, as force unveils first memorial to canines that have died in the line of duty
Hong Kong's barking band of canine crime fighters - the police forces' dog unit - has a problem.
Three of its Belgian shepherd dogs - also known as Malinois - died last year: two after running off, one by falling to its death from the roof of the dog unit's headquarters in Sheung Shui.
Force bosses are blaming individual handlers for the deaths of the dogs, but questions have also been raised about the police training regime.
"For that to happen three times, it is obvious that the dog handlers are not trained well enough," said a working-dog trainer and expert, who asked not to be named.
The Malinois has been the police force's dog of choice since 2002, when it was chosen to replace the German shepherd. The switch came because Malinois can serve until they are nine or 10 years old, two years longer than the German shepherd, according to senior inspector of operations Cheung Oi-yee. They now make up the majority of the city's 80 patrol dogs.
The Malinois is a working breed, said to be very smart and a fast learner, with high energy and a good drive to hunt, eat and protect. But the trainer said the force was not prepared to handle or properly train the breed, which can become neurotic, aggressive and hard to control without a high standard of training.