Owners of empty buildings in Brighton and Hove are being asked to let Sussex Police use them for dog training.
The force’s dog unit is particularly keen to bigger buildings and says that the presence of police dogs and their handlers can be an effective deterrent to would-be vandals.
Inspector Di Lewis said: “If you are the owner of an empty building, you could help Sussex Police train our specialist search dogs and general purpose dogs by giving them a new and unfamiliar environment to search in.
“We’re looking for buildings that ideally have plenty of rooms, such as an old school or office block.
“Continuous training is crucial to keeping the skills of both the handler and dog at their best and the more variety of experience they gain the better.
“Police dogs are a huge asset to the force and play a vitally important role in safeguarding Sussex.
“Making use of empty buildings to train our dogs is a great use of local resources for a very worthy cause and can act as a deterrent to would-be vandals.”
Locations currently being used for training include Hickstead Racecourse, the Bluebell Railway and the Aviva building in Worthing.
Anyone who can help should call 0845 6070999 x45415.
