Stuart Ayres said the one month trial will see a handler and a general duties German Shepherd dog based in Tamworth to service the Oxley Local Area Command from mid-September.

The announcement, made on Friday morning with Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson, comes in the wake of a public campaign for more police resources led by crime fighters and father-and-daughter duo, Barry and Renee Bourne, who kick-started a petition which attracted more than 5,000 signatures.

Superintendent of the Dog Squad, Donna Adney, said the dog unit will help with tracking, searching and criminal apprehensions, and a full review will be undertaken after the trial to determine if a permanent posting is needed in the command.

See the full story in tomorrow's edition of The Leader.