Police Dog Tactics

Book excerpt: Communities need police K-9 more than ever in the 21st Century. We are living through a technological revolution in crime that outpaces our ability to keep current in intelligence or to keep up on the street. Gangs, drugs, advanced communications, rapid air and ground mobility across both state and international borders -- it is impossible to field enough police officers. At the most basic level offenders know when there is no police dog on duty in their neighborhood. That is when they run. That is when they go to ground with the officer. That is when they challenge officers with weapons. The Friendly Force -- the police dog -- protects handlers and covers officers. Most officer murders occur at night. Officers are attacked suddenly, often before they realize the suspect is present or observing them. Fifty percent are ambushes. Where officers are weak, the dog is strong. At night the K-9 sees clearly. His senses alert him to the armed suspect nobody realizes is there. In dangerous searches, foot pursuits, assaults, and fights, the dog gives officers the edge, apprehending suspects quickly and safely. Topics included in this comprehensive guide include building a successful police dog program, street patrols, high-risk searches, prison patrols, drug searches, search and rescue, and bomb dogs.