Drug detection dog joins police for Saltash school awareness visit

News & Videos

Jul 6, 2026

POLICE officers and a specially trained sniffer dog visited Saltash Community School recently to educate students about the dangers of illegal drugs and encourage them to make positive choices.

Police dog Skye, a six-year-old fox red Labrador trained to detect illegal substances, visited the school alongside her handler, PC Steve Waters, as part of a proactive educational initiative by the Saltash neighbourhood policing team.

During the visit, Skye carried out passive searches in randomly selected classrooms, with students asked to hold their bags and walk past the dog in single file, giving them the opportunity to see her specialist skills in action.

Following the demonstrations, officers spoke with students about the purpose of the visit, highlighting the risks associated with illegal drugs and the potential consequences of drug use and possession.

PC Steve Waters said it had been a pleasure meeting the students, praising them for their positive attitude throughout the visit.

“It was a delight to meet many students on the day, all of whom were polite and accommodating during our visit, and very excited to meet Skye,” he said.

He stressed that the visits are designed to educate rather than search for drugs.

“What we are there to do is encourage young people to make safe informed decisions now and in the future, ultimately deterring them from drug use, antisocial behaviour and criminality,” he said. “No drugs were found and no concerns were raised during the visit.”

PC Waters added education and prevention remain among the most effective ways of protecting communities and said similar visits would continue throughout the year.