Top government minister Lord James Douglas Hamilton welcomed the latest recruits to the ranks of Scotland’s prision service.
Sniffer dogs Jack and Digger were joining the team to spearhead the drugs detection branch.
Their role was to deter and detect the use of drugs in all of Scotland’s penal institutions.
The pair, which were trained by the RAF in Nottingham, were the first to be used in Scottish prisons.
With the dogs were their handlers, prison officers Stuart McCall and Steven Wheeler, who were also trained at the Dog Handling course at RAF Newton.
They were officially handed over at a ceremony attended by the minister at Barlinnie, when the dogs’ service records were delivered.
The dog unit – which was classed as a national resource – was to be based at Cornton Vale, in Stirling, but it would be on call and available to governors of all Scotland’s prisons. A Scottish Office spokesman said:
“Labradors were chosen because they make excellent drugs detection dogs.” 

Glasgow Times:

Everything was on the slide as these children enjoyed a winter’s day sledging in Queen’s Park, Glasgow. But could you imagine today’s youngsters playing in the snow wearing shorts?