Dogs were first deployed in the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in 1911. An Airedale Terrier was acquired from the British army officer to track down escaped prisoners. Unfortunately, the dog died the following year and the police reconsidered their decision to involve dogs in their operations. In 1954, following the successful use of police dogs in the United Kingdom (UK), Chief Inspector Frank C. Pestana was sent to the Metropolitan Police Dog Training School to attend a 3-month Dog Instructor Dog Course. He returned with five German Shepherds in 1955. The dogs were based at the Police Academy together with four trainee handlers. After five months of training, the handlers and dogs formed the nucleus of the Police dog Unit and were mainly deployed to suppress secret society activities and disorderly crowds, perform anti-housebreaking patrols and tracking of criminals. In 1958, the British Army Guard Dog Unit gifted four German Shepherds to the Singapore Police Force. By 1965,