The Forming of a Canine Unit

Canines are one of the fastest growing tools for police to use in the fight against crime. Canines can be used in Narcotics Detection, Bomb Detection, Tracking, Arson Detection, used by Wildlife and Conservation officers in the detection of contraband game/fish, or just as Patrol Dogs or a combination of several specialities.

Police Chiefs who are responsible for the effectiveness of their departments and the economy of their administration in combating crime in their communities need solutions and answers to several questions when forming a canine unit.

In analyzing the number of crimes that shame our society today, you will be convinced that there is more need for trained canine units now than ever before.

There are no fast methods in the forming of a successful unit. TRYING TO FORM A UNIT WITH INFERIORLY TRAINED DOGS IS COURTING DISASTER. In each city where a canine unit is formed, a significant drop in the crime rate is reported. Why, then, should the effectiveness of a canine program ever subside?

One of principle reasons that a program loses its effectiveness is: From the conception of the program, the personnel involved are interested in learning about this phase of law enforcement, but because of promotions, politics or routine replacements of personnel, the unit may have fallen under the administration, control or handling of uninterested or prejudiced personnel. Never has the decline of a unit's effectiveness been due to a properly handled and trained unit.

The following are suggestions in the forming of a canine unit.

One of the first steps in the forming of a canine unit in a police department is to sell the citizens of the community involved on the need for a canine unit for the protection of their community. In many cities, the citizens have not been properly informed about the capabilities of a properly trained unit. Selling the citizens on the need for a canine program is a very vital step in the building of a successful program. The best way of selling the citizens on the need for a canine unit(s) is to let the citizen sell himself. The opportunity to have some part in the forming of the unit should be provided.

Once the public is educated as to what a police dog is and what a canine unit can do, it is time to get active participation from the citizens. Citizen participation can be accomplished in several ways. One that I am familiar with is getting the citizens to make donations to cover the expense of purchasing and training the canine unit(s). This type of drive for funds is not undertaken by the police department, but is initiated and handled by an interested civic group. It will be necessary for the department to provide an officer to serve as liaison between the civic group and the department and to provide the group with any needed information regarding the forming of the canine section.

Costs that will be involved from the purchasing and training of unit or units is made available to the civic group. The group then advertises that the department is forming a canine section and that each unit will cost X amount of dollars. So that the public can get involved, donations toward the cost of the unit(s) ate taken by the above group. In the above method, citizen participation is made possible through each contribution, no matter how small it may have been. It has been my experience that such a drive does not take long to achieve its goal.

Once the need is assessed and citizen participation is gotten, the next step is determining where the dogs should be purchased. This step should be integrated with step one so the civic group will know the cost method that will be used in obtaining the unit(s).

Ultimately, the best method of obtaining a trained unit would be to contact the larger departments in your area that have canine programs and find out if they will train your department's unit. They also can supply you with any information that may be needed in the forming of a canine section. Each department sets its own policies, but most will train outside departments and can provide first hand assistance with the forming of the unit. Many mistakes can be avoided by obtaining a unit trained by a department that has been using and training does for police work.

The biggest drawback from the small department's point of view in the above method is that most training requires about 14 weeks of training. The 14 weeks is usually in the spring or summer when vacations can make the sending of one or more people impossible for the smaller departments. It should be noted that this is the best method of obtaining a proficient unit.

Another method of obtaining a trained canine is through professional dog trainers. The choosing of a professional trainer should be done with the utmost CAUTION. References from departments using dogs trained by the trainer should be obtained. Contact departments that have purchased dogs from the trainer being considered to find out the results that have been obtained from the canines purchased. WARNING! Many good canines have been obtained this way, but many badly trained dogs have also been put on the street. This type of canine receives training prior to the handler being sent to school and can be obtained in a shorter length of time.

Selecting Handlers

Selecting a handler is a very important step if a canine program is to be a success. A dog will not repeat an act unless there is a good memory experience. This makes the dog very useful in police work because he reacts only as he is trained, and as he cannot reason, he cannot make the mistakes that occur in human logic. CONSEQUENTLY, there are no dog mistakes-only handler mistakes. The working canine unit is exactly what the handler trained and required him to be. Do not make the mistake of trying to have more than one handler for the same unit. This would be self defeating and the reasons should be apparent.

A handler must be willing to sacrifice some of his personal freedom because of his dog. The dog is sacrificing all his for the handler. There will be no more chasing cats, running free or some other things dear to a dog's heart. He must work eight hours a day and only for food and water, a daily brushing and the love of his handler. A good handle realizes this and takes his dog with him on trips and for an occasional romp in some area away from everyone.

He keeps his dog's comfort foremost in his mind. He does not blame this animal for mistakes that it makes. Indeed, he may even alibi for the dog and shoulder more blame than is necessary to keep his dog in a good light. He will "beat the bushes" and work constantly to make good apprehensions and unceasingly work for a flawless operating unit.

The handler always stands on what is known in police circles as that thin line between what is right and wrong. He must be able to make a decision in a split second. He must be right in every decision. The handler recognizes his dog as a weapon and treats him as such. Just as no right thinking officer would leave his cocked pistol lying on the front porch, neither would a good handler leave his dog unattended in such a manner that some innocent person could get hurt.

From the above, a number of traits can be drawn and selected applicants for handlers who would reveal these traits.

• Temper Control
• Patience
• Self-Discipline
• Maturity
• Neatness

Applicant must have the intelligence and ability to evaluate any situation and figure out the proper approach.

Applicant must be in good physical condition to keep pace with his dog.

Service Time

Applicants for handlers should have been in the department long enough to know what phase of law enforcement they wish to pursue. Due to the cost factor involved and the time required for training, it is wise to choose people who have evidence of job stability.

Pay

Under a FLSA ruling time spent by the officer/handler in caring for a city-owned dog at the handler's residence is compensable including time spent on days off and during vacation periods. Any off duty training unless specifically expressed is also compensable. There are many ways to work out this compensation with your department through negotiations.

There should, however, be some type of extra pay to somewhat offset the extra cost that will occur from being a handler (some of the cost for extra dry cleaning and uniform items, etc.). The added responsibility and the extra time and effort a handler will be required to give should in some way be compensated for.

Hours or Shift

A canine unit should work during the peak hours of criminal activity. This, in most cases, would be a late evening and early morning shift. Hours the canine unit works should be determined from records of criminal activity and not set merely on the whims of a supervisor. If your program is to be a success, your units have to be on the street when the criminals are. Poor utilization of canine units also results in a decrease of efficiency. Why any right thinking supervisor would use a canine unit as a jack-of -all trades is beyond comprehension.

Just as a detective unit is a special unit to support the patrol section, so should the canine unit be. One would not dispatch a detective unit to handle a traffic complaint, but the same supervisor would permit a canine unit to be dispatched to handle a minor complaint. As so often is the case, this will be the time when the unit is needed. The best team in existence is of no value if occupied and unable to respond.

Poor utilization also undermines the psychological advantages of a canine program. Hard procedures should be set on the utilization of the unit. Its members should be assigned too specifically defined missions and should operate following carefully formulated procedures.

If the full potential of a canine program is to be realized, the units should work a seven hour shift. The eighth hour that should be considered part of the unit's assignment would be allotted to feeding and grooming. This leaves the handler the responsibility of spending this one hour with his dog.

Training

No matter how smart or how good a canine unit is upon graduating from school, unless an inservice training program is also initiated, a proficient unit will lose its proficiency. A minimum of four hours a week should be allotted to inservice training. The secret of training is to be consistent. Remember, your LIFE depends on the way your dog works! KEEP UP HIS TRAINING.

Vehicle

It will be necessary for a canine unit to be mobile. There are many different types of vehicles being used in various departments for canine patrol. Just about any type of vehicle can be used so long as it is modified for transporting of the unit.

Due to the carrying of special equipment, the modifying of the vehicle to transport a canine unit and the need for the canine to be available at any given hour is necessary. It is recommended that each unit be assigned a patrol vehicle and this vehicle be kept at the handler's home.

Housing and Kennel

For economic reasons and for the best results in handler-canine relations, a kennel should be constructed at the handler's home. The canine should be kept at the handler's home because of the close relationship that must exist between the canine and his handler. The kennel should not be used as living quarters if you are to have a well adjusted canine. If a canine unit is to reach its full potential, this close relationship must be maintained. The construction of a kennel is for emergency quartering and for a short period.

Insurance and Legal Opinions

Before beginning a canine program, the city should obtain a legal opinion about liability of injuries that may be sustained from using dogs for police purposes. Insurance coverage also must be checked, for the city must be assured it has adequate liability insurance.

Records

The trained police dog is intended as an aid to a department and not an infallible piece of machinery. There are many things that the dog can do much better than an officer. Similarly, there are many things that the dog cannot do. The dog is not a positive cure for crime, but he is one of the biggest deterrents ever devised. This will be evidenced by the crime rate decrease shown once your units are in service. It is for this reason that the handler must keep records.

No where is it so important as in dog work. It has been estimated that 75% of the canine's value lies in the psychological vein. The only way to show this is by keeping these records. You can hire two new officers and your crime rate will not vary. You will be able to see this drop only through the utilization of records. Some records needed are:

• Training records
• Records of cost
• Records on dog's health
• Daily report sheet
• Canine use reports
• Inventory reports

Summary

1. Canines and handlers must be carefully selected and fully trained.
2. Canines should be kept at the homes of their handlers.
3. The canine unit should be organized as a specialized unit.
4. The entire force should be instructed in the capabilities and limitations of canine units and in the use of them.
5. The canine unit should be assigned too specifically defined missions and should operate according to carefully formulated tactical procedures.
6. Attention must be given to program administration and the maintenance of comprehensive records.
7. Whatever method is used in obtaining the units, the program must be fully supported by public funds.

The use of canine units is growing daily in the USA. As this grows, more and more departments have the chance to see them in action. Do not let your department make the mistake of comparing a rookie dog with one who has been in service for awhile. The dog learns so fast that there is no comparison. The handler will also be more efficient with a little experience. Look forward to the day that you and your unit will be as sharp as those who have more experience.

Occasionally it happens that one of the superiors will dislike dogs and want nothing to do with the program. This can cause a dog's efficiency to drop. Any new addition to the department (either people or equipment) can be put in a bad light by the actions of an ill informed superior. If the units are only sent on impossible calls or left out of the general picture, there is a good chance that the program will waste away and become ineffective. The canine does not understand petty jealousy that can exist wherever people work together and cannot answer charges leveled against him. All he can do is to do the jobs he is best suited for.

Sometimes the canine will have an "off day" and not complete a track or fail to make an apprehension. This, sometimes, is a cause for great concern by the superiors. They tend to forget how often they fouled up a detail by doing the wrong thing. Most police officers would never get past the first year in service if everytime they make a mistake they are considered as washouts.

All these procedures have been tested in the field and should be of great help in the forming of a canine section. There is no reason that a canine program cannot be a success if a few simple rules are followed, and these rules are:

1. Be industrious
2. Love your dog
3. Be a good police officer
4. Make your dog a part of your life
5. Defend him as he defends you