The Governer of Perth Prison is pleased with the work of search dogs used as part of the clampdown on bringing drugs and mobile phones into the Victorian-era establishment.
Mike Inglis said that the dogs have been deployed in addition to a police liaison officer as part of overall security measures in place at the building in Edinburgh Road.
Search dogs have been used in Scottish prisons for the past 20 years, with 28 in operation at the moment, including being deployed at Perth Prison. Mr Inglis said using the dogs had been “very helpful.”
“We use the dogs which are part of the Scottish Prison Service to track down people trying to bring in mobile phones or drugs.
“The dogs are used in various places including the new visitor area and the cells,” he said.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) told The Courier that the search dogs were previously primarily based at a location in Stirling but could be deployed when necessary any where in Scotland.
“There are dog handlers at Perth Prison responsible for the search dogs,” said the spokesperson.
“These dogs are also used at Castle Huntly Prison.”
The SPS spokesperson said that the 28 dogs used in Scottish prisons are used for their “intelligence” and are a variety of breeds.
“Many of the dogs are cocker spaniels and are used for their instinct to retrieve and search,” she added.
“The dogs are used not just to search prisoners but staff too, and visitors to the prison.”
The cost of each dog is estimated at £40,000, which includes all associated costs. This covers the salary of the dog handler, dog training and training for the dog handler.