They say that dog is a man's best friend, and while not everyone is a dog person, their contribution to society as service dogs cannot be ignored.

Even if it takes half-a-century...

A police dog received a posthumous medal after bravery at a Cheshire raid over 50 years ago.

In the early hours of Saturday 19th January 1963, police officers attended a house in Cooper Street, Macclesfield where they believed two were hiding, having earlier committed an armed robbery on a taxi driver.

PABLO REMEMBERED: Left to right is Staff officer PC Sophie Davies, DCC Chris Armitt, Alliance dog handler PC Mark Rendell and Bandit, Northern Superintendent Adam Ross and Warrington Chief Inspector Neil Drum. (Image - Cheshire Police)

One of the officers was dog handler Constable Stan Smith with his police dog Pablo, a nine-year-old Doberman Pinscher.

Four officers, including PC Smith with Pablo, entered the house where they found two women with small children, who both denied the men were in the house.

Hearing a noise upstairs, Detective Sergeant Kenneth Etchells started to climb the stairs was almost immediately hit in the face with a white steaming liquid which he thought was boiling water, but, in fact, was nitric acid.

PC Smith gave Pablo the word and he bounded for the stairs, followed by his handler. More acid was flowing down the stairs and Pablo yelped in agony. He raced out of the house whilst PC Smith suffered facial burns.

Pablo was put down after injuries from an acid attack, while on duty.

Pablo's injuries were so serious that he had to be put to sleep shortly afterwards. 

But his efforts led to the culprits being arrested and sent to prison for a long time.

For their heroic actions on that night DS Kenneth Etchells and DC Norman Dawson were both awarded the British Empire Medal for Gallantry, while and PC Stan Smith and PC Michael Bell both received the Queens Commendation for Brave Conduct.

Now, over 22,000 days later, PD Pablo has also got his award and a permanent tribute to his bravery.

On Thursday 22 June 2023, Cheshire Police Deputy Chief Constable Chris Armitt received the medal from retired Essex Dog Handler Paul Nicholls, who founded the K9 Memorial Project, a national organisation which honours the brave and unsung canine heroes of policing. 

He accepted the medal on behalf of Cheshire's PD Pablo during a ceremony at the Policing Museum in Warrington.

He also unveiled the tribute to the determined Doberman Pinscher, which illustrates the violent, armed struggle in Macclesfield in 1963 which Pablo endured alongside handler Stan Smith, who is also no longer with us.

During the presentation it was announced that an 11-week-old Sprocker puppy currently in training with the Alliance has been named Pablo in honour of the brave dog, and the name Pablo will carry on as a tradition from now on onwards.

A Sprocker - cross between a springer and cocker spaniel - has been named after Pablo.

The emotional story of Pablo's greatest (and last) moment in action has only come to light recently, 725 months after it occurred.

This is thanks to retired officer and Policing Museum volunteer, Will Brown, has been researching and writing historical articles for the federation's Cheshire Beat over the last four years, and Pablo's tragic story was one which came to his attention.

He said: "A few months ago I picked up a request on the Police History Society Facebook page (the Museum is a member of the Society) for any information about a Cheshire Police Dog, Pablo, who had died in service.

"I was aware of the full circumstances of the incident and I had written an article about it which was published in Cheshire Beat.

The Cheshire Policing Museum of 101 Arpley St, Warrington WA1 1LQ.

"Recounting his brave story caught our imagination and we decided we wanted to keep his memory alive with a display at the museum. We had the added bonus of a medal being awarded by the K9 Memorial Trust.

"Sadly we couldn't trace Stan's surviving family, but we still wanted to honour Pablo just like the officers who had been alongside him all those years ago."

After the presentation Deputy Chief Constable Chris Armitt met with the museum volunteers, PC Mark Rendell from the Alliance and his dog, two-year-old PD Bandit, a licensed drugs/cash and firearm detection dog. They were also joined by retired officer, former Detective Superintendent Eddie Benbow who remembers Pablo and his exploits back in the day, and Northern Superintendent Adam Ross and Warrington Chief Inspector Neil Drum.

DCC Chris Armitt said: "Pablo's story struck a chord with the museum volunteers and the Constabulary, so it was thought a fitting tribute to have the canine remembered permanently at the museum.

DCC Chris Armitt photographed at Cheshire Police HQ in Winsford. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)

"These dogs never fail to amaze me and the stories I've heard along the years of my career prove that they are integral to policing our communities and should be recognised for their fearless bravery when protecting officers and the public."

Various sources online cite that there are 2,500 current serving police dogs in the UK.

To learn more about police dogs which currently serve in Macclesfield, Cheshire and North Wales, please click HERE.

Cheshire's Police dogs also have a Facebook.

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