EVERY day they put their lives on the line to rid our streets of dangerous criminals.
But when South Wales Police came under siege from a feathered menace even they had to call for help.
The force recruited four birds of prey to ward off a colony of seagulls wreaking havoc at its Bridgend headquarters.
The unlikely guardians were called in after the aggressive gulls started swooping officers, staff and visitors.
In an attempt to protect their nests, the gulls had also taken to accurately releasing their droppings from a great height.
Staff were even forced to start carrying umbrellas to defend themselves from the dive-bombing creatures.
“They were literally attacking the officers and staff; it was really quite dangerous,” said Layla Bennett, from pest controllers Rentokil.
“As part of their defence mechanism they were also pooing and regurgitating all over people walking in and out of the building.”
The 26-year-old has been making weekly visits with a pair of specially trained Harris Hawks named Hope and Jasper.
Monty, a Gyr hybrid falcon, and Jimmy, a hybrid peregrine falcon, have also taken to the skies over the police headquarters.
The birds of prey do not attack or kill the gulls, but simply frighten them away with their presence. They have already managed to scare off many of the unwanted birds since the start of the nesting season in April.
Miss Bennett said it was the most humane and natural method to deal with problem gulls or pigeons.
“The idea is that if we fly the hawks there regularly they will think that there is a bird of prey living there,” she said. “And if they are distressed in that area then they won’t choose to nest their next year. It’s very simple and effective.”
It is thought many of the gulls had flown in from a nearby industrial estate that is home to thousands of birds.
Dan Ferris, environmental manager at South Wales Police, said it was an environmentally-friendly way of dealing with a growing seagull population.
“Their presence deters the seagulls from making nests and laying eggs, as they feel the site isn’t a safe environment to lay and raise chicks,” he said.
“This programme is recognised as the most humane method in discouraging nesting at the site, in order to prevent the issues that can arise with parent seagulls in terms of property damage or injury to staff.
“The programme further reinforces the commitment of South Wales Police to continue to deliver its core business in the most environmentally sustainable manner possible.”
