Three new four-legged police staff will take to the beat after graduating with their handlers from New Zealand Police Dog Section in the latest Patrol course on Thursday.

And clearly good things happen in threes.

The handlers graduating are; Senior Constable Michael Evans and police dog Wendell from Auckland, one of the Police kennel-bred dogs. Wendell is Mike's third dog.

Constable Hamish McPhillips and police dog Yale from Auckland. Yale is also a kennel-bred dog. Yale is Hamish's third dog.

Finally, Senior Constable Matthew Hay and police dog Karma from Waikato are graduating and you guessed it - this is Matt's third dog.

'Karma is a purchased dog (purchased from a civilian breeder) and not bred from the Trentham dog school,” says a statement from police.

'Handler Senior Constable Evans has been with police for 18 years working general duties in Counties Manukau for nine years before joining Auckland dog section.

'His previous two dogs Zeus and Bear were purchased and gifted respectively. Bear has since passed away, but Zeus is now retired.” Graduating on Thursday is Auckland officer Constable Hamish McPhillips and Yale.

Yale has become Hamish's new dog while his previous dog Axle, an AOS dog will stay as an operational dog in Auckland AOS squad.

'Hamish's first dog Leroy is fully retired and living the life of a retired dog with a family in Auckland. Leroy was a kennel bred dog and Axle was gifted to the Auckland dog section as a young pup.

'Last but not least, handler Senior Constable Matthew Hay and police Dog Karma. Constable Hay is an operational handler retraining from the Waikato and has been in the Police for 16 years and 10 of those years in Dog Section.”

He has had two previous operational dogs, Quade and Exxo.

Quade is now retired and living in Auckland and unfortunately Exxo too has passed away.