Police Dogs in Saxony-Anhalt Deployed Longer - Saxony-Anhalt's police dogs work longer hours despite fewer callouts in 2025

Police dogs in Saxony-Anhalt worked longer shifts in 2025, despite being called out fewer times than the previous year. The 83 service dogs logged nearly 7,700 hours, up from 6,933 in 2024. Interior Minister Tamara Zieschang has praised them as vital partners for law enforcement.

The state's police force deployed its dogs around 1,900 times in 2025, a slight drop from 2,067 operations in 2024. Tracking dogs led the way, used 1,118 times to find missing people or chase suspects. Patrol dogs followed with 242 deployments, while explosive-detection teams assisted 229 times and narcotics dogs 187 times.

Specialised scent-detection dogs were requested 66 times, with other teams handling electronic storage devices (48 times), accelerants (22 times), and cadaver searches (14 times). The 83 dogs are managed by 77 officers, all trained at the Police Dog Handler School in Pretzsch, Wittenberg district. This facility also supports training for other German states and international programmes.

To strengthen future capabilities, the force is introducing new breeds and methods. A Labrador named Gerda is being prepared for search-and-rescue work, while an English Springer Spaniel called Monte is training for explosive detection. The investment reflects a broader strategy to expand specialised detection roles.

The increased working hours suggest a growing reliance on police dogs, even as overall deployments decline. With new recruits like Gerda and Monte in training, the force aims to enhance its detection and rescue operations. The dogs remain a key asset for Saxony-Anhalt's law enforcement efforts.