Good boy Axel. Thank you for your service

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Dave Raymond and Axel have gone to work together more than 1500 times over the past seven years.

But their partnership, forged in often challenging and dangerous circumstances, has come to an end.

Axel has retired.

Sergeant Dave Raymond first met Axel in Cairns in 2014, when the German Shepherd puppy started training for a career as a Police Dog.

PD Axel soon graduated the Queensland Police dog training course in Brisbane and has served with distinction alongside Sergeant Raymond in the Far North ever since.

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Sergeant Raymond said Axel has been a very good Police Dog.

“Back in June of 2015, Axel and I attended a job where we located an abandoned vehicle with the lights left on and the car still running.

“Axel was quick to locate a track and we followed that track for about two kilometres.

“Axel located the offender hiding in a cane field but he also located a large quantity of illegal ice and steroids along with a staggering $120,000 in cash in the boot of the car.

“Another time, it was just after 1am when police were called to a break and enter in Edge Hill.

“The victim was distraught. Offenders had stolen her handbag from beside her bed and she was due to depart the country in under four hours for a trip of a lifetime to Europe.

“Her handbag contained all of her identification including her passport, along with cash and her mobile phone.

“Police on scene activated a phone finding app which placed at an address in Yorkeys Knob.

“Officers headed to the scene and located an abandoned vehicle. A police cordon was put in place and Axel and I were called in.

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“All the woman’s property, including her cash, passports and mobile phone were located.

“In under two hours from the time of the initial report, we were able return all of her property enabling her to head straight to the airport for her international flight.”

The Queensland Police Service thanked Axel for his service and presented him with a special dog food retirement cake.

Axel will become a much-loved pet at the Raymond family home, while Sergeant Raymond will head back to the Brisbane Police Academy to be teamed with his new police dog.