The Public Demo

Few events will promote your K-9 unit better than public demonstration on the dogs abilities to civic and private organizations. Critical to the teams continued funding, is support from the community. Much of police work is done without fanfare and headlines. Unlike the fire scene where every news crew within a fifty mile radius can get there before it goes out, the police call is often done within minutes. News crews do not come into the woods or buildings with us to capture the suspect.

We do not enjoy the media coverage given to other aspects of public safety because our work is most often an unplanned event to which we respond. There is no film footage to go with the story. The immediacy of the work deters all but "COPS" type shows. A well prepared and performed demo gives you the ability to showcase the K-9 Unit. A presentation to one person or thousands will influence the success of the program.

Television enjoys the success today because it gives the viewer a passive, face to face look at the program. You don't have to read, you don't have to ask questions, you don't even have to leave your own home. It's a passive activity because everything is given to you once you turn the TV on. It is face to face because of the images and the pictures. It's just like they are there seeing it face to face. We must promote the dog unit in much the same way. Using a passive system of exposure or "we go to them" and show them the dogs capabilities.

THE IMAGE

The police dog in the back seat of the patrol car is a wonderful ice breaker for meeting those you serve. Community Policing stresses getting out of the car, meeting the people, and learning the neighborhoods concerns and needs. Most people want to meet their cop on the beat but often lack the opening comment or "ice breaker". Without this they feel uncomfortable approaching you and we've learned that people will avoid uncomfortable situations when possible.

The dog changes this by giving the person an immediate topic to discuss. I am often approached with these questions "is that a German Shepherd Dog?" or "is he trained to find drugs?" to "my uncle was a dog handler in the army." This is an EXCELLENT time to present your dog program to this person. I am reminded once when a neighbor came out to me just after we finished clearing out a large party across the street. I didn't even use the dog but she asked about him.

I took him out and let her pet him and we spoke for about 5 minutes on the dog and what they do. I later learned that she was the Mayor's daughter. Eight years later, whenever I see the Mayor, we still speak about her daughter meeting the dog and how impressed she was. Eight years later, the Mayor continues to strongly support the K-9 Unit. Lesson Learned: A demo to one can be as important as a demo to thousands.

K.I.S.S. – keep it simple stupid

I was once told that most people will be astonished that the dog will sit on command. This is because most pets are poorly trained and will not do it. I try to run my demo's remembering the concept of K.I.S.S., a military team instructing us to keep it simple. The sit command for example, is a simple exercise for us. We don't think twice about it because of all the more elaborate things that our dogs do. It's not intricate like a recall but will yield the same results. If we remember the most of the audience cannot get there dogs to do a simple sit, they will be thrilled with the fact that you can.

I've watched demo's that other agencies have done with the dogs off lead. I've noticed each time that their team does not look as sharp as it would if the lead was put on. With the off lead routines, you risk distractions, repeated commands, and the undistinguished "looking down at the dog" to be sure he is still there. Combine this with the stress that you have, off lead exercises are usually sloppier than on lead exercises. I cannot stress enough to keep it simple. Almost all will be equally convinced with the dog on lead for safety than off lead. Lesson Learned: Keep the dog on lead: It's safer and will equally fascinate the audience.

100% RULE

There is little that can fix a demo that has gone bad. The recall exercise where the dog apprehends, or the dog hide that the dog can't find are some embarrassing moments that you can avoid. You should only demonstrate something that the dog will do 100% of the time. Although the one command recall is dramatic, it will be the singular perception that people will walk away with when wrongly performed.

If the dog is having problems outing or releasing the bite, do not use that dog in demonstrating the apprehension qualities for that demo. Use a dog that will do it or don't show it at all. You know the dogs strong and weak points. Lesson Learned: Don't use the demo as the forum to train out problems or gamble with a correct response.

It's a Circus Out there!

Ever notice that a circus never has a routine that lasts longer than 5 minutes before a new animal or act is brought out? People want the information and entertainment in short segments. Let us learn what popular circus acts have been doing for a hundred years.

When beginning the demo, keep all the dogs out of sight until you introduce them. This builds expectation with the audience. Then bring them out one at a time, showcasing each one and prompting applause as they come out. Limit speaking on one topic to less than 5 minutes and move on. Use lots of action with the dog to demonstrate and reinforce what your speaking about. Visual aids and props help communicate and entertain. Let's call the our demo "INFOTAINMENT."

When children are in the group, have the dogs do tricks like play dead, jump through flaming hoops or catch a Frisbee instead of apprehension work. Kids are pretty scared of us already and the vision of the ATTACK DOG will be long lasting and quite frightful to some. They don't understand this concept of force. They will associate your dog with the wolf that hurt their favorite Disney animal. All the coloring books in the world that you pass out will not smooth this image from their minds.

When the audience is mixed with children and parents, or the group is all adults, an apprehension routine should be shown. It provides us the occasion to dispel the reflection of the trained police dog being only a glorified junk yard dog. Precede it with warnings that some may find it disagreeable and if so they should depart. This demo should be defensive by design. For example, it should be an officer assault scenario or a fleeing violent felon, where the Police Dog is the only recourse to deadly force. It should end with a clean verbal out and escort. Immediately thereafter, the audience is shown the dogs tolerance towards other people AND the decoy. Remember the 100% rule, if the dog won't do it all the time, use another dog or don't do it.

Drug dogs should be given a hide that they can find. Use liberal amounts of drugs to ease the search. People will be equally amazed that the dog will find 2 dime bags as opposed to the 1/2 joint. The hide should also face the crowd and be easily visible to them. Don't hide it inside a car where almost no one can see the dog or photograph him at work. A good hiding place is behind the license plate or a hubcap. They are easily viewed by the crowd. If your inside a classroom, using desk drawers are easy but be sure to turn the desk around to the group, so they can see. Staging a drug hide in a civic leaders coat or purse can be good fun for the audience if planned ahead correctly.

The larger the audience, the shorter the demo should be. Smaller groups are more likely to interact and so the demo takes longer as you answer questions. Encourage participation and questions with the smaller group. The large demo (100 people or more) should be no more than 25 minutes with the teams splitting off in different locations to field questions. Questions are not encouraged during the large demo until the end. Close the demo and invite those with questions to remain and speak with the expecting teams. Lesson Learned: The larger the audience, the shorter the demo.

The Petting Zoo

All successful demo's include a period of time that the audience can touch and pet the dog. Usually at the end, this time allows for individual questions and dispels the image of the vicious police dog. If the dog will not be tolerant, don't use it for the "petting zoo". If you are the only one doing the demo and the dog will not be tolerant, use a puppy to substitute. You can usually get one at the local ASPCA kennel, breeder, or friend. They make great fun for the kids and adults to play with. Make sure all vaccinations for the puppy are up to date. Lesson Learned: A same breed puppy will complete the infotainment value of the demo.

"UH AH ED DUR"

Here's a scene: You have planned the perfect routine for your dog and have the group ready. Your confidence is high and your ready to go. The speaker comes out and is BORING. All your hear is UH's and AH's and stumbling words. The picture is good but the sound is awful.

Working in an area that used to have an Air force Base, I've watched the Blue Angels perform several times. What these pilots can do with high powered jets is incredible. What was equally impressive was the narrator speaking about them. He was confident in public speaking, relaxed and educated on the abilities of the pilots. Most important, he was prepared and rehearsed.

I've always liked someone else to narrate the demo. It allows me to stay focused on the routine. I will react to the speakers message demonstrating what is being talked about. This prevents the demo from becoming a lecture. Using multiple speakers is also a good way of breaking up the demo and keeping people interested. The speakers should be police K-9 trainers or handlers who can mix in short stories for credibility. People enjoy a few "war stories", but only from those who lived it.

DON'T TALK LIKE A COP

Nothing will frustrate more than not understanding what is being said. We go through painstaking efforts to insure everyone will hear us and then talk a language that few understand. I'm sure everyone will believe that your a cop without having to impress them with your knowledge of the 10 code or military time. Using terms like "bad guy" or "thug" are more understandable than cop terms like "perp" or "alleged suspect".

Your listeners are not a jury so don't testify. Don't be afraid to use the tone of your voice or use your hands to make a point. Show emotion when speaking and be personable. Pretend like they are your family In the back yard during a reunion and your telling them a story. Lesson Learned: Remember your audience.

21 Common Questions

Most groups will have similar questions and concerns regarding the K-9 unit. You can address some of these within the dome or at the least be prepared for answers to these:

1. Where do you train?
2. How long does the training take?
3. What is the best breed of dog for police work?
4. Does the dog stay with you at home?
5. How much did he cost?
6. Do female dogs make for good police dogs?
7. Are they neutered?
8. Are they good with your kids at home?
9. How many years can they work?
10. Are drug dogs given actual drugs to get them scented on it?
11. How much a day does the program cost?
12. How many captures have you had?
13. Has he ever saved your life or someone else's?
14. How many police dogs are killed a year?
15. Is there a law protecting the dog?
16. Are they considered Police Officers by law?
17. Are they certified?
18. What does certification mean?
19. Is there insurance for them?
20. Is it true that you can hide the smell of drugs?
21. Aren't they subject to a lot of lawsuits?

Of course there will be other questions asked, but these are some of the more frequent ones.

Reporters

Whereas a demo that you give to a civic group may touch on a hundred or so, the feature story in a local newspaper or television program, may reach thousands. Keep in mind that we want everyone to know about the dogs. The more we educate, the more people will want a dog program. We must spread the word about these cost efficient, low liability tools available to all police departments. Treat the reporter as if it was a demo to one and answer the more common questions for them even though they don's think of it. Think beyond the reporter and pretend you are giving a demo to large group. If you have some good photographs of drug seizures or of you putting the dog through the paces, give them to the reporter for their use. Help them out with the feature and you will be more pleased with the outcome. Lesson Learned: Get to know the reporters and ask for a feature story on the police dog.

Lessons Learned

The lost person finds tops the public relations ladder for the dog team. Luckily, people don't get lost often, and the opportunity for positive education on the dog is limited. Headlines such as "Police Dog Mauls Suspect" only reinforce to the public the image of the vicious dog working for the department. Use your skills and ambition to educate these same people before something questionable happens. Mr. & Mrs. Jones who just saw your dog in a demo will be less likely to believe the sensational headline. It takes a little work and some planning but the payoff is enormous. Good luck and keep training.