Meet the newly trained dogs sniffing out drugs at Bovingdon prison

Drug-detecting dogs are being deployed into The Mount prison in Bovingdon as part of the Government’s plan to crack down on violence and crime behind bars.

The specialist dogs, Rigby and Prince, have already proven to make a huge difference in the effort to keep contraband out of the establishment, with the canines finding more than 50 litres of alcohol, phones and cocaine in less than a month.

A total of 176 dogs are being sent into some of the most challenging prisons in England and Wales. The new pack adds to the 630 dogs already in place across the estate which have proven to be crucial in the effort to keep illegal drugs, phones and tobacco out of our prisons.

In the past year alone more than 2,000 illegal items, including over one hundred kilograms of drugs such as heroin, cannabis and spice, have been stopped from getting onto the wings by drug dogs currently in post. The new dogs are expected to aid this work even further.

Over fifty prisons are set to receive their new additions by March next year – with The Mount, Bedford, Lewes, Norwich and Rochester among the first in line. Each dog will be paired with their own dedicated handler, specially trained in detecting contraband items and further boosting the frontline.

Prisons and Probation Minister, Lucy Frazer QC MP said: “The smuggling of contraband into prisons puts hardworking staff at risk and undermines attempts to rehabilitate offenders.

“These dogs and their handlers will make The Mount safer, more secure and ultimately a better environment for rehabilitation.”

HMP The Mount Governor, Katie Price, said: “I am an animal lover myself, so I get great pleasure seeing how much the dogs love what they do, and I am confident about the positive impact these additional dogs and handlers will have at HMP The Mount.

“Having a bigger dedicated team of dogs and handlers has led to our staff feeling more supported and makes the prison safer and more stable as a result.”

The dogs and handlers are being funded by the Government’s £2.75 billion commitment to transform the prison estate. This includes:

- £100 million to bolster prison security, clamping down on contraband such as drugs, weapons, and mobile phones that fuel violence, self-harm and crime behind bars

- £2.5 billion to provide 10,000 additional prison places and create modern, efficient jails that rehabilitate offenders, reduce reoffending and keep the public safe

- £156 million to tackle the most pressing maintenance issues to create safe and decent conditions for offender rehabilitation.Drug dog handler, Nick Hayes, who is already based at HMP The Mount, said: “Drugs dogs are a great proactive tactic to address the conveyance of illicit items into our prisons.

“They are a force for good and such a powerful tool which can be used to keep all of us who live and work across the estate safe.”