A veteran Wiltshire Police officer with 50 years of distinguished service has been honoured with the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) Lifetime Achievement Award.
Dog Unit Sergeant Ian Partington, who joined the police service in 1975, is preparing for retirement this summer after an extraordinary career that has spanned two forces, high-risk deployments, and three decades in the Dog Section specialism.
Ian began his career with Merseyside Police before transferring to Wiltshire Police in 1998, where he served as Dog Section Sergeant. Throughout his 50-year career, Ian has remained on the front lines — from riot control in Toxteth, deployments during the Miners’ Strike, and an IRA bomb threat at the Grand National in 1997, to thousands of frontline incidents and national mutual aid requests.
In 2006, he formally retired from officer duties but continued his work as a civilian dog section trainer, shaping the next generation of handlers and instructors across Wiltshire, Avon and Somerset, and Gloucestershire Police through the Tri-Force Specialist Operations.
Superintendent Steve Cox, who nominated Ian for the prestigious award, said:
Ian is an amazing person — passionate, hard-working, and always committed to excellence. His legacy is not just in years served, but in the people he has mentored and the service he has helped shape.
The award was presented to Ian earlier this month at the National Police Dog Trials, where he was celebrated by colleagues from across the UK.
Ian reflected on his journey with modest pride, reportedly saying that watching his handlers succeed and grow has brought him the greatest satisfaction of his long career.
Ian’s contributions extend far beyond operational deployments. He has played a pivotal role in national police dog training policy through his involvement with the NPCC working groups.
As he prepares for retirement, Ian leaves behind a legacy defined by loyalty, courage, and dedication to the dog unit and the communities he has served.
