PSNI police dog who found £1m of drugs retires to life in County Antrim

PSNI PD Jess

A remarkable police dog who helped take more than £1 million worth of drugs, cash and firearms off the streets has retired after an eight-year career with the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

Retired police dog Jess, a nine-year-old Labrador, joined the PSNI as a search and detection dog in 2018 and worked alongside her handler Sarah throughout a distinguished career that saw her repeatedly uncover hidden criminal caches.

Now, after hanging up her harness at the end of January 2026, Jess has settled into retirement in County Antrim, living with Sarah and her other retired police dog, Ziva.

Sarah described Jess as an exceptional partner.

“Jess was trained to sniff out cash, drugs and firearms, and she was phenomenal at her job. She was a once-in-a-lifetime dog and partner.”

Major drug discoveries during career

Jess proved to be a formidable detection dog, responsible for two major finds alone worth more than £1 million in illegal drugs.

Among her most memorable discoveries was a Tesco ‘bag for life’ buried in a hedge, packed full of drugs.

Another time, while on the way to search a storage yard, Jess repeatedly indicated interest in a nearby secure area.

Despite being called away, she refused to leave the spot and even tried to chew through the lock.

Officers subsequently obtained a warrant to search the area.

“Jess kept going over to another secure area nearby and indicating; I tried to call her away but she was so sure that she tried to chew the lock off,” Sarah explained.

“Officers applied for a warrant and went in to find £500,000 worth of drugs and firearms inside.”

Jess also demonstrated an extraordinary sense of smell beyond her training, once locating a mobile phone buried in a bag of coal.

“Jess loved her job, all I did was get her there and put her harness on, and she did the rest,” Sarah added.

“She even found drugs she wasn’t trained to locate.”

Retirement and ongoing care

Although Jess has always been in good health, the physical demands of years spent searching and working have left her with stiffness in her shoulder.

Regular hydrotherapy sessions now help manage the condition.

To support her care, Sarah has registered Jess with the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, a charity that helps retired police dogs with veterinary treatment, medication and rehabilitation costs.

Jess joins Sarah’s other dogs, Ziva and her late dog Cipo, as beneficiaries of the foundation’s support.

Charity supporting retired police dogs

The foundation’s founder, Kieran Stanbridge, said the charity exists to help dogs like Jess after their years of service.

“Jess worked hard for years of her life and it’s taken its toll on her body.

“Police dogs are not afforded a pension in retirement from their local police force or the Government, therefore it can be expensive to adopt these dogs when they retire as many, sadly but unsurprisingly, come with health problems as a result of their strenuous careers.”

The charity has supported more than 170 retired police dogs across the UK since its launch in 2020 and has paid out over £400,000 to help cover essential and lifesaving veterinary treatment.

Stanbridge added:

“We’re incredibly proud to be able to be there for these heroes, and their dedicated owners, if they ever need help, without their families having to worry about how they’ll cover the bill. It’s the least these dogs deserve after everything they’ve done.”

A well-earned rest

After years of dedicated service helping keep communities safe, Jess is now enjoying a quieter life.

“I’m really sad Jess is retiring but she is happy with her new life snoozing on the sofa,” Sarah said.

“She is a much-loved member of our family and worked hard during her career so deserves the very best retirement.”

• To donate to the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, please visit https://donate.thinbluepaw.org.uk/

• The Thin Blue Paw is campaigning for mandatory centralised financial support for all police dogs when they retire. Sign our petition calling for Pensions for Police Dogs online: www.thinbluepaw.org.uk/pensions-for-police-dogs 

At a glance

• Retired PSNI police dog Jess helped remove over £1 million worth of drugs from the streets during her career.

• The Labrador joined the police in 2018 as a search and detection dog.

• Jess made two major discoveries worth more than £1 million in drugs, including one worth £500,000.

• She also located evidence beyond her training, including a mobile phone hidden in coal.

• After retiring in January 2026, she now lives with her handler in County Antrim.

• Jess receives support from the Thin Blue Paw Foundation, which helps cover veterinary and rehabilitation costs for retired police dogs.

• The charity has supported more than 170 retired police dogs and provided over £400,000 in financial assistance since 2020.

• Campaigners are calling for mandatory pensions for retired police dogs due to the physical strain of their service.