Why have a k 9 unit

France first used dogs with armed citizens to patrol the city of Saint Malo in the s. The first U. Since then, there have been 3, police K-9 programs in the U. Since its inception the unit has continued to expand to one on each shift to provide the best possible coverage. The Taylor Police Department currently has three K-9 units. For this reason, they are especially suited to the detection of narcotics.

The dogs are trained to locate heroin, crack cocaine, cocaine, and marijuana. The dogs scratch at the location when they locate any of the controlled substance. They can locate small amounts as well as large amounts of narcotics. When the team locates narcotics, they can in most incidents, confiscate for forfeiture money, cars, and other valuables which are deemed proceeds from drug dealing.

Many police dogs hail from Germany and learn basic training commands in German. K-9 officers are often U. Police dogs learn how to detect certain items, including narcotics, electronic devices, explosives, and cadavers. The U. But because becoming a K-9 police officer is such a specialized and training-intensive process, K-9 officers usually earn even more per year.

K-9 officers are also often reimbursed for the costs of caring for their canine companion. Typically, those employed in the K-9 units learn a bit more than the other policemen with the similar rank and experience because of the additional responsibilities they have. Another source of information about salary range is Simply Hired which provides figures based on third party submissions to their site.

You should note that the minimum wage may differ by jurisdiction. It is better to check with the employing agency for the actual salary and possibility for growth.

Education and experience also affect the monthly amount a police dog handler receives. There are three different ways to refer to this profession that you need to look for when browsing the law enforcement job openings :. There are several breeds of dogs used in law enforcement to help with different tasks but the most common one used in the K-9 Unit is the German Shepherd. This dog is chosen because of its intelligence, strength and loyalty and great sense of hearing and smell.

The police dog quite often wears a bulletproof vest. In many jurisdictions there are strict penalties imposed on those who harm a canine member of a K-9 unit. In accordance to the different tasks that a police dog performs, there are different breeds that are considered most suitable. The German Shepherd falls in all of the four categories.

Of course, there are many dogs that are trained to perform more than one task. Here are the four main categories of activities a police dog performs:. For K-9 dogs working extended shifts while walking on hot surfaces like roadways, the half-inch-thick sheet protects paws from burns and other potential hazards.

It can take a high amount of weight. Even training may expose K-9s to danger. This is particularly true when the dogs are being trained to detect explosives—an endeavor that includes actual explosives. Several years ago, Tread noticed that police departments were interested in small storage magazines. It turned out that agencies were purchasing the magazines for storing and transporting the explosives used in K-9 training.

If you need it, we can get it out to you quickly. We have a fabrication shop on-site. For more information, the National Police Dog Foundation provides educational resources for law enforcement agencies interested in learning about or purchasing police dogs or establishing a K-9 unit. Scott Harris, Freelance Writer.