North East Scotland College welcomed a very special guest back to its Aberdeen City Campus this week.
Police Dog (PD) Zeus returned with his handler and colleagues from Police Scotland to view a collection of portraits created in his honour by art & design students.
PD Zeus, a six-year-old Belgian Malinois, became a local hero earlier this year after sustaining multiple stab wounds while on duty with Police Scotland during a serious incident in Aberdeen. His bravery captured the hearts of the North-east community, prompting an outpouring of support and well-wishes.
Thankfully, PD Zeus made a swift recovery and remarkably returned to duty in just a few weeks. His courage, along with the leadership of his handler, Sergeant Paul Wigley, was recently recognised with the inaugural National Foundation of Retired Service Animals (NFRSA) Bravery Award, presented at Tulliallan Police College in Fife, Police Scotland’s corporate headquarters and key training venue.
PD Zeus Sgt Wigley
To celebrate PD Zeus’s heroism, NESCol’s art & design department invited students to take part in a live brief: to create a portrait or full-body painting of the courageous canine. During a recent visit to the campus, PD Zeus posed patiently for photographs, charming students and staff alike and inspiring their creative work.
Chief Inspector Cath Thorburn, of Police Scotland’s Dog Unit, said: “We are immensely proud to honour police dog Zeus with a portrait in recognition of his bravery.“The character and professionalism shown by Zeus highlights how highly trained our police dogs are and the hours of work and care to develop that bond with their handler.
“Our dogs serve the public alongside officers every day and they are a part of the police family. This tribute reflects the deep appreciation held by students, staff and the wider public and we are extremely grateful for this kind gesture.”
NESCol HND Contemporary Art Practice and Art & Design Portfolio Building students were commissioned to submit an initial A3 painting as a proposal for a finalised piece. On Wednesday, 4 June, Sergeant Wigley returned to the campus alongside PC Steve Warden and Chief Inspector Cath Thorburn to select the winning submission.
The panel were very impressed with the quality of the entries, but in the end chose a portrait painted by Agata Sood, an Art & Design Portfolio Building student. Agata will now recreate her work into a larger piece that will go on permanent display at Nelson Street Police Station in Aberdeen.
Curriculum Manager for Art, Design & Textiles at NESCol’s City Campus, Janice Scott, praised the students’ efforts: “We were delighted when Police Scotland invited our students to create portraits of Police Dog Zeus in recognition of his bravery award. This live brief provided an excellent opportunity for our students to apply their skills in a meaningful context, and meeting Zeus was a memorable experience for us all.
Our talented student cohort rose to the challenge, producing outstanding work that made the judging process especially difficult. Agata’s portrait stood out for its exceptional quality and ability to truly capture Zeus’s character. We are thrilled that her talent has been recognised and that she now has the opportunity to showcase her work.”
NESCol is committed to fostering an environment where student creativity can thrive. Across both the City and Fraserburgh campuses, students benefit from a variety of dynamic learning spaces—including textile and art studios, as well as fully equipped photography suites—featuring the latest industry-standard equipment. Many of our courses involve collaboration with community partners and local industry to offer students the opportunity to work with real clients and briefs.
Robin McGregor, NESCol’s Vice Principal Curriculum and Quality, added: “It has been a fantastic experience for our students to work with Zeus and Sergeant Wigley on this project and we’re proud to have been able to play our part in recognising their bravery. We really value the relationships the College has with our community partners and are appreciative of the close links we have with Police Scotland and their teams in North-east.”
For further information on NESCol, visit our website.