‘Wonder dog’ Pippa sniffs out a national award for tackling illegal vapes

Britain’s first ever illegal vapes sniffer dog has been honoured along with Rochdale trading standards and police teams at a prestigious awards ceremony.

Pippa, eight years old, a Springer Spaniel specially trained to detect vapes, won a special ‘Hero’ award organised by the Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) in the Houses of Parliament this week.

Trained by company Wagtails, Pippa helped the Rochdale Borough Council Trading Standards team and Greater Manchester Police to track down illegal vapes that are targeted at children.

The Rochdale teams also won an award for the country’s most ‘Outstanding Trading Standards Project’ for their pioneering work in combatting child exploitation, illegal vapes and illegal number plates.

Their special ‘Operation Vigilant’ and ‘Operation Ghost’ projects were cited as examples of best practice nationwide.

Rochdale MP Paul Waugh, who presented the awards, said: “It was such a pleasure to see Rochdale’s council staff and police officers get the national recognition they deserve. And Pippa, a real wonder dog, was the star of the show for her own dogged detective work.”

Pioneering Child Protection through the nation’s first vape detection dog.

Pippa has been trained to identify the distinct odour of vapes while ensuring she does not indicate the presence of similar scents such as scented cleaning products, confectionery and flavoured drinks, among others. Over her 7 year career Pippa has found 12,664,628 cigarettes, 170,918 vapes, £763,050 in cash and 38,626kg of hand rolling tobacco.

She was a key part of Operation Vigilant which was aimed at identifying and protecting children at risk of exploitation by organised criminals who deal in illegal vapes, tobacco and drugs.

Operation Vigilant combines this pioneering technology with intelligence from local residents to disrupt exploitation and remove dangerous substances from communities.

Over the past year, it has successfully disrupted over 100 cases, intercepted illegal vapes, and removed nitrous oxide cannisters from Rochdale’s streets.

Paul Waugh MP praised the team’s achievements, saying, “Operation Vigilant exemplifies the power of collaboration and innovation in safeguarding young people. It’s making a real difference in the fight against exploitation.”

 

 

Operation Ghost was recognised for its groundbreaking use of advanced infrared technology to detect and combat the use of illegal 3D and 4D ‘ghost plates.’

These plates are designed to evade detection by speed cameras and surveillance systems, posing a significant threat to public safety and enforcement efforts.

Working alongside the Rochdale Trading Standards Team, Greater Manchester Police have seized numerous illegal ghost plates and taken action against local suppliers distributing these devices. This collaboration highlights the importance of joint efforts in addressing complex enforcement challenges.

Paul Waugh MP commended the operation’s impact and vowed to raise the issue with ministers to push for stricter regulations, saying, “Operation Ghost is a testament to the power of innovative technology and multi-agency teamwork. I am committed to ensuring this work leads to necessary legislative changes.”

The Winners

The awards honoured the remarkable contributions of individuals and teams who have been at the forefront of these pioneering operations:

• Greater Manchester Police: DS Gemma Grumbridge, PC Mark Milner
• Rochdale Borough Council: Sam Portlock (Children’s Services)
• Wagtails Specialist Dog Company: Brad Thomas, Colin SingerRochdale Trading Standards Team: Kerry Ambrose, Peter Gallagher, Dennis Chalmers, Darren Hughes

The ceremony underscored Rochdale’s role as a national leader in addressing community safety challenges. From protecting children to tackling exploitation and enforcing laws, the award recipients have showcased the transformative power of collaboration and innovation.

Concluding the evening, Paul reflected, “These teams represent the very best of Rochdale. Their groundbreaking work is protecting lives and creating a safer future for us all.”