Police are mourning the death of pioneer dog handler and Queen’s Service Medal recepient Graham Reeves Bracey, who hailed from Northland.

Bracey died on July 7 and was farewelled at a service in Whangārei on July 22.

Born on December 12, 1930, he grew up in the Hokianga. He was the youngest of three sons to Elsie and James Bracey and was raised on a farm in Waimamaku.

He joined the police in 1955, and was given Duke, one of the first police dogs in New Zealand, to train in 1958.

They began operating in Auckland the following year, as did two other New Zealand handlers – one in Wellington and one in Christchurch.

Bracey was the only police dog handler in Auckland for four years, and covered an area from Taupō to Kaitaia. He later became a training officer.

Bracey’s funeral featured an honour guard made up of officers and dogs from the Auckland and Northland dog squads, and his ashes were carried by son Paul.

“Dad had some wonderful memories of police and he loved his dogs,” Paul told police Ten One magazine.

“He loved the dog section. He helped train the handlers and their dogs and he would be grateful to see the respect you showed him today.”

He said his father had to educate the judiciary about dog tracking when he first began as a dog handler.

When Bracey and Duke were dispatched to one of their first jobs, they tracked a man through farmland and found him hiding in a shed.

When the case came to court, the judge questioned how the dog could find the man and whether police could be sure the defendant was the man involved in the incident.

Bracey explained the dog’s training and his ability to follow a scent, and confirmed it was the right man in court.

Senior Sergeant Peter Pedersen trained under Bracey and described him as a special man, Ten One reported.

“Graham had a very strong personality and he made sure we toed the line – and if we didn’t he explained in no uncertain terms that we had to sort our act out.

“Graham pioneered the dog section and tolerated the hardships back in those days and the kind of complexities that were involved in transport and communications. Things we don’t suffer so much now.”

Bracey’s friend, retired detective Joe Sheehan, recounted to Ten One a job they attended together searching for an escaped prisoner from Pāremoremo.

“Graham turned up with Duke and I said ‘He’s taken off through the gorse’.”

The men weren’t too keen on ploughing through gorse, so Duke was sent off on his own to find the prisoner.

“In a few minutes there was howling and screaming. Graham said ‘Right, he’s got him. All we have to do is go and get him’.”

Bracey’s granddaughter Robyn Bracey-Plaine read a letter at the service written by Bracey about his upbringing in the Hokianga.

Bracey’s father James was a soldier in World War I and was seriously injured when he was shot in a shoulder blade.

James milked 60 cows on a 48.5ha farm with 40ha of bush. They also had 100 breeding ewes.

Graham Bracey was educated at Waiotemarama Country School in the Hokianga, and then Whangārei High School.

He retired in 1989 and received the Queen’s Service Medal for public service.