Police dog heroes book is canine delight

Bill Rogerson MBE, 64, was born at the Queen Victoria Hospital in Morecambe, and went to school in Bolton-le-Sands and Carnforth.

In 1971 he joined the British Transport Police and worked in Birmingham, Coventry and Leicester, before returning to be a BTP officer at Heysham Harbour in 1976. Police Dog Heroes was co-written with colleague Michael Layton, and traces the history of the British Transport Police’s dog section which was established in 1908 in Hull.

Since then, dogs from the force have served in two world wars, aided police in combating terror attacks, and hunted down countless criminals.

Layton and Rogerson tell over forty thrilling, shocking, and sometimes humorous first-hand recollections from retired officers and handlers who fought crime and protected the public alongside man’s best friend.

Bill said: “I have had an interesting life and I have enjoyed it. Although I didn’t have a dog myself, I took an interest in the dogs. I used to act as a criminal or stooge when training the dogs. I was a stooge at St Pancras Station recently as part of my volunteer role.”

Police Dog Heroes is available from general bookshops and Amazon. Visit Amberley Publishing at https://www.amberley-books.com/police-dog-heroes to order the book, priced at £14.99.