a fiction based on real life events by brian barnard
Ben Gibson is living the dream.
Married to his high school sweetheart and with two beautiful young children, he’s also achieved his ultimate goal of becoming a member of the elite Victoria Police Dog Squad. For Ben life just couldn’t be better!
But then a series of personal disasters leaves Ben questioning his future. How can he continue in the job he loves when so much has been taken from him? As he struggles to overcome his own feelings of devastation, his boss presents him with the opportunity to make a fresh start.
He reluctantly accepts the challenge to become the first Victoria Police dog handler to relocate to country Victoria leaving his family in the care of his father and mother-in-law while he completes a six-month trial in the rural town of Clarkdale.
Overcoming the initial doubters amongst the locals that a city-boy can cope in the country, Ben and his police dog Sabre set about showing their worth.
From detecting drug stashes concealed in cars to tracking down violent criminals and apprehending armed and dangerous offenders, Ben and Sabre quickly become an invaluable asset to the local police members and prove that, even with the many technological advances in crime detection, nothing matches the skill and tenacity of a well-trained police dog team.
Meet The Author
Sergeant Brian Barnard served with the Victoria Police Force in Australia for 24 years, 18 of which he spent as a member of the elite Victoria Police Dog Squad. Twenty years after leaving the force and after a successful foray into the corporate world, Brian finally sat down to write the first of a series of novels about “the greatest job in the world”, being a police dog handler as told through the eyes of his composite character, Sergeant Ben Gibson. The Dog Cops has a rich blend of characters and the police dog action sequences are based on authentic operational experiences along with a rare insight into the day-to-day life of being a police dog handler.
What People Are Saying
“Great Read! SO good to find not only an accurate story of a Police dog ‘on the job,’ but to combine this with the life of the Police dog handler and his day to day family affairs and personal issues was an unexpected bonus. Can’t wait for the sequel!”
- Phil Copsey, retired police officer and author of blue justice
“At times I laughed, at times I cried, but above all, I really engaged with this fast paced story of a family adjusting to a life after tragedy. It is also a must read for those wanting an insight into the training of police dogs and the importance of canine love and loyalty in changing a family’s life. In short, a heart-warming story that can be enjoyed by all.”
— Bronwen Bennet, Librarian, author and Literature consultant
“I really enjoyed the story of Ben and Sabre. Ben was instantly so likeable and human and Sabre, well what a fabulous and clever dog. The book was hard to put down, it made me laugh and cry and I learnt heaps about how police dogs work. You need to read this book”
— Amazon customer
