Teamwork.

'M' District is being hit by another spate of vehicle crime. We are able to read the daily crime intelligence and hit on the subject before the analysts recognise the trend and send the info to who ever presents it at the monthly management meeting. The groups are putting out a plain car and a couple in plain clothes out on foot in the area to see who is about and try to turn stuff up. They have the luxury of one and six on nights. As much time as I can make free I am there as well waiting for a snifter and to back up the troops. This is how we do this thing called Policing. Response who want to catch the bad guys and skippers who fully support that attitude. Everyone else there to offer the specialist skills when they are needed. Teamwork I think its called.

I hear the unit call in a person on foot and I am not far away so start to drift that way, its called self deployment and is sometimes not the tool of choice for some.

I hear the sound of an approach for a stop turn rather quickly into a footchase, I'm following the locations trying to anticipate the likely route and itis clear that local knowledge is keeping this guy ahead of his pursuers. Then nothing. They have lost him. I make for the last sighting, not calling up the pursuers incase they are lying low and I don't want to give their location away by their radios relaying my call, just in case they are that close. I get near and wait for only a few seconds, they must have heard the van and decide to call me. Dog vans are not made for silent approach.

We RV and I get the story, tried to stop a male with haversack acting suspiciously near a line of cars and he is off on his toes. Came around a corner and its as though he has been beamed up somewhere. Luckily for me they knew I was about and never started the search for themselves.

Its very windy, they can't understand why I've asked them to split up onto different corners and why I've gone to the far end of the street to begin my search. I set the boy up, give my challenge to give matey a chance to give himself up. Nothing. I send him and he is away, criss crossing the area in front of us, zig zagging across the wind, he is hunting. Not for food but for his quarry, for me, for the team.

Quickly the signs are that someone else is around, close, very close. My friend vanishes through a gap in a fence,I hear scrambling and a deep growling bark as he closes in. Matey boy is suddenly up over a high fence and off down the road, I go to where my friend is trying desperately to get over the fence but he is too close to get a good jump. I help him over, shouting at the world to keep still and my friend fixes his sights and sets off after his quarry. I get back onto the street at just the right time to see matey boy vault a fence that must have been 8 feet high and out of sight. I get there, help the dog over, even manage to get over myself and then see matey garden hopping several gardens away. This is a good game, we deicde to play as well. Not exactly hot fuzz but we follow on just the same. At the end of the line of houses there is a ditch, a wide ditch, in the distance there is a shape running, my friend clears the ditch but I do not. I wade through the half I cannot clear and I am chasing my friend chasing his quarry, across a large grassed area. The running figure disappears into the hedgeline. When I get there I hear nothing. I see nothing. It is dark and still. After all itis late. I know my friend. He uses the wind and will try there first. I feel the breeze to my right so I head right. In the distance I hear my friend, the sound of his frustration carries a long way. We are at a high metal gate and fencing. We get over, I harness him up and begin to track. I follow him following his quarry. We go on for what seems like ages but in reality is a matter of minutes.

I know as we approach the brambles that we have been successful. My friend knows he has been successful. He begins to growl and then bark as we approach. We stop just short and I shout for our quarry to come out and lie on the floor. I tell him who I am. If he does exactly what I say he will be fine. If he runs again I will send the dog after him. This time everything is in my favour. I tell him this. His eyes tell me exactly what he is going to do. I tell him not to even think about it. The dog wants to bite him if he gives the chance. He's off again, he is quick but not quick enough. I hear the thump as he crashes to the ground, followed by the yell as he realises that he is not going to get away this time.

A couple of response are well chuffed. This was a great stop for them and they are pleased with my support. I search the route we have gone and recover a haversack, torch, tools for the trade and several car radios. Luckily all they want from me is a statement and a copy of my book.

I will sleep well in the morning.