20070608 Troopers add more K9 Teams

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 8, 2007

TROOPERS ADD MORE K-9 TEAMS TO THE PATROL FORCE

(Glen Burnie, Maryland) - The Maryland State Police graduated its most recent class of K-9 handlers Friday morning, and deployed them across the state for patrol duties.

Seven K-9 teams were awarded certificates of completion. “This is the proud culmination of eleven weeks of very demanding training,” said Major Pete Landon, Assistant Bureau Chief, Special Operations Command. “We are proud of their willingness to serve the citizens of this state, knowing that they will often be required to work under great pressure and in difficult circumstances, especially when a missing person is involved.”

The ceremony was held at the completion the Maryland State Police Special Operations Division=s canine school. Two bloodhound tracking teams, including a team from the Prince George’s County Police Department, and five K-9 controlled dangerous substance detection teams graduated.

The bloodhound tracking teams completed ten weeks of field and classroom work. Instructors used various terrains and settings to teach the handlers tracking, land navigation, management of search operations and high-risk tactical tracking skills.

The controlled dangerous substance detection teams went through eleven weeks of training. The dogs were taught to detect a variety of illicit drugs and substances and the handlers were trained to recognize the actions of their dogs which would alert them to the presence of the drugs.

With the approach of the summer months, the bloodhounds will join other search teams from the seashore to the mountains, assisting with the location and safe return of lost hikers and children, as well as the tracking of fleeing criminals. The drug detection teams will continue to assist road patrol units across the state with the interception of hidden quantities of illegal substances and contraband. The Maryland State Police patrol with a variety of K-9s, including patrol, drug detection, explosives detection, and bloodhound search dogs.

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