A police dog who took part in the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II has been killed in a car crash.
PD Bert, a five-year-old springer spaniel, served with Cleveland Police, and was seconded to London in 2022 to assist with the policing efforts for the late queen’s state funeral.
The dog was fatally injured in a car accident on Thursday evening, prompting an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and the public alike.
PD Bert, along with another police dog and their handler, was travelling in a canine support unit vehicle when it collided with a BMW at around 9pm in Hartlepool.
Both dogs were rushed to a local veterinary practice, but due to the severity of Bert’s injuries, he was humanely euthanised. The second dog involved in the crash was unharmed, and the officer with them suffered only minor injuries.
A 33-year-old man has been arrested as is due to appear before magistrates next month.
PD Bert, who served Cleveland Police for over three years, was highly regarded for his exceptional work in detecting drugs, firearms, and large sums of cash.
His most high profile operation was in London for the largest ceremonial police operation in the UK’s history – Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. Bert’s deployment to London was part of the extensive security measures that helped ensure the safety of the estimated one million people who attended the procession.
