It is the policy of K9 Metropolitan Specialists to use canine teams to provide specialist services to support the mission, aims and objectives of the client.
Recognising that canines have a superior sense of smell and hearing, K9 Metropolitan Specialists K9 teams provide an effective deterrent, both visible and physical, whilst our detection teams are trained utilising the latest detection methods to best suit the K9 Olfactory system. The employment of our K9 teams requires adherence to company procedures and legal requirements that properly control their use of specialised capabilities into legally acceptable crime prevention and control activities.
A. Definitions:
K9 Team: - A canine handler and their assigned canine.
B. Procedures:
Canine teams are available on a 24-hour on-call basis and may be called upon to perform the following duties:
a. Provide deterrent against break in or illegal activity.
b. Area searches to locate suspects or lost or missing persons;
c. Detection of hidden instruments or evidence of a crime;
d. Detect the presence of explosives and/or their component parts.
e. Searches prior to special events in public and controlled environments.
i. Canine teams should not be used to respond to non- authorised calls for assistance but may engage in special assignments not listed above with prior approval of K9 Metropolitan Specialists management.
ii. The canine handler will evaluate and assess each situation and determine if deployment of a canine is appropriate. A supervisor sufficiently appraised of the situation may instruct the handler to deploy or not deploy the canine.
iii. K9 teams may assist Law Enforcement agencies when that assistance does not jeopardise the safety or security of the team, and providing a request for assistance has been received from the relevant agency.
At all times the following procedures must be followed:
a. A record of the times the canine unit is dispatched to assist another agency;
b. The canine handler shall submit an incident report;
c. Deployment of the canine team shall fall within the guidelines of this policy;
d. No team should be deployed without direct authority from the requesting agency/force.
Deployment, Training and Qualification:
Applicants for canine handler must have:
At least two years of uniformed patrol experience with satisfactory work performance, disciplinary and medical leave records;
i. A willingness to care for and house the dog at their home with a secure outdoor area for the dog that conforms with DEFRA requirements.
ii. A strong desire to work with canines and a willingness to care for and maintain training and levels of competency.
The lead trainer shall be responsible for the selection of canine handlers.
i. All canines must meet established certification requirements.
ii. New canine handlers must complete the prescribed canine training course and successfully meet all course requirements.
Deployment and Training:
i. All canine handlers shall attend weekly reconditioning training with their assigned dog
ii Training and deployment reports shall be submitted monthly for inclusion in the individual teams' training file for audit and review purposes and maintained by the canine supervisor.
iii. All canine handlers shall certify in assigned duties at least once annually.
iv. Canine handler training reports, deployment reports and detection reports shall be maintained in the canine handler supervisor's files.
v. All specialist search teams will undergo strict assessment and continuation training on a regular basis. Assessment on ‘live' samples as well as ‘soaks' will be conducted weekly with on-site supervisors holding a training kit of ‘soaks' for use every day.
vi. All soaks will be replaced on a weekly basis and taken from ‘live' samples held by K9 Metropolitan Specialists .Contaminated or non-effective soaks will be disposed of at the earliest opportunity. The preferred method of destruction will be by burning.
vii. Continuation Training will encompass all aspects pertaining to an individual team's core discipline, whether Specialist Search K9's or General Purpose Security K9s.
Training Incidents and Injuries and Operational Bites:
Security dog teams may only use a degree of force that is reasonably necessary to apprehend or secure an intruder. In all instances where a canine is deployed in a tactical situation, a canine incident report shall be submitted. Whenever a canine bites an individual, whether or not whilst protecting the handler, the handler shall:
a. Inform K9 Metropolitan Specialists management at the earliest opportunity
If a non-operational bite:
b. Examine the affected area to determine the seriousness of the bite or injury, if safe and practical to do so.
c. Obtain immediate medical treatment for the person.
d. Complete an incident report whenever it has been alleged that a canine has bitten or otherwise injured an individual;
e. The report must detail the circumstances surrounding the incident, the identity of the individual involved and any witnesses, the extent of injuries if known, and measures taken in response to the incident;
Canine Use, Care and Housing:
a. Canines shall not be used for breeding, participation in shows, competitions, exhibitions or other demonstrations, or for off-duty employment unless authorised by K9 Metropolitan Specialists Management.
b. Canine handlers' must have at a minimum, the following facilities at their permanent/temporary residence to house the canine:
c. A suitable kennel with sleeping area that facilitates the dogs ability to express normal behaviour and provide adequate protection from the elements.
d. Kennel facilities will be inspected and approved by the K9 Metropolitan Specialists Ltd training staff prior to housing the dog.
Canine handlers are personally responsible for the daily care and feeding of their dog when at their own residence and will include;
a. Maintenance and cleaning of the kennel and run area where the dog is housed. Provision of food, water and general diet maintenance as detailed by K9 Metropolitan Specialists training staff.
b Grooming on a daily basis, or more often as required by weather, working conditions or other factors;
c. Daily exercise (Security Patrol Dogs are not permitted to run off lead);
d. General medical attention and maintenance of health care records;
e. Where the handler is unable to perform these and related duties due to illness, injury or leave, another handler may be assigned to temporarily care for the dog;
f. The canine may be returned to K9 Metropolitan Specialists HQ when the handler is unavailable:
Detection Dog Training Aids:
Storage and usage of training aids:
a. Explosive training aids will be stored in an approved explosives' safe
b. The training staff are the only persons authorised to have access to the storage safe.
c. Removal and return of explosive training aids will be logged. The canine training staff shall maintain an inventory of all issues, types, amounts and where taken, the explosive training aids every time an issue is made.
Equipment / Vehicle Operation and Control:
Canine vehicles assigned to canine officers will be used for transporting the canine, responding to calls for assistance, training, or any other assignment as determined by the management or training staff. These vehicles will also be utilised in transporting the canine to and from the handler's private residence and/or for transportation of the animal in emergency and non-emergency situations to designated veterinary clinics. Canine handlers are responsible for the operation and maintenance of canine vehicles in accordance with Company policy.
a. Canine vehicles may be sign written or left clear dependent on the contract/clients' requirements.
b. Handlers' should be familiar with the owner's manual for safe operation.
c. Vehicles will not be used in “off-road driving” except in an emergency.
d. Canine vehicles will be operated only by assigned canine handlers unless approved by the canine handler's supervisor.
Because of the unique nature of the canine vehicles and the fact that the must be self- contained canine officers will:
a. Fuel vehicles before ending their duty;
b. Replace forms and equipment as needed before ending their duty;
c. Lock their vehicles at all times when they are away from the unit and equipment:
Handler Equipment:
i. All handlers' will be issued with the correct equipment in order to carry out their duties. It is the individual's responsibility to properly maintain the equipment, making sure it remains serviceable.
ii. Should an item of equipment fail, it should be returned to the training staff for immediate replacement.
iii. All training equipment such as bite suits, hides, drop boxes, storage containers etc. are to remain the responsibility of the training staff to ensure their serviceability and availability for use.