K9 drug detection: a manual for training and operations

305 Pages·2017·4.96 MB·English

by  Gerritsen

K9 DRUG DETECTION
Other titles in the K 9 Professional Training Series
K9 Behavior Basics, 2nd ed.
K9 Decoys and Aggression, 2nd ed.
K9 Investigation Errors
K9 Personal Protection, 2nd ed.
K9 Scent Training
K9 Schutzhund Training, 2nd ed.
K9 Search and Rescue, 2nd ed.
Other K9 titles from Brush Education
Aggression Control
K9 Complete Care
K9 Explosive Detection
K9 Offi cer’s Manual
K9 Professional Tracking
K9 Scent Detection
K9 Suspect Discrimination
K9 Working Breeds
Police Offi cer’s Guide to K9 Searches
K9 DRUG DETECTION
A Manual for Training
and Operations
Dr. Resi Gerritsen
Ruud Haak
K9 Professional Training Series
Copyright © 2017 Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak
17 18 19 20 21 5 4 3 2 1
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Printed and manufactured in Canada
Brush Education Inc.
www.brusheducation.ca
[email protected]
Editorial: Meaghan Craven
Cover Design: John Luckhurst; Cover image: Shutterstock—Monika Wisniewska
Interior Design: Carol Dragich, Dragich Design
Illustrations: Chao Yu, Vancouver
Photo credits (pages): Four Winds K9: 9, 12, 14, 15, 34, 43, 65, 70, 117 (bottom), 143,
146 (bottom). Four Winds K9 / Chris van Cromvoirt: 36, 117 (middle), 140 (bottom).
Dog Training Center Oosterhout: 2, 4, 19, 23, 30, 31, 33, 38, 39, 41, 42, 46, 52, 53, 56,
58, 59, 62, 63, 72, 90, 91, 98 (top), 105, 109, 111 (bottom), 115, 121, 128, 131, 133, 136,
137. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): 97, 98 (bottom), 103, 107, 111 (top),
117 (top), 119, 122, 123, 134, 140 (top), 146 (top), 151–241, 254 (top), 255. Onze Hond
archive: 246, 250, 251, 252, 254 (bottom). Ruud Haak: 49.
Library and Archives Canada Cataloguing in Publication
Gerritsen, Resi, author
K9 drug detection : a manual for training and operations / Dr. Resi Gerritsen, Ruud Haak.
(K9 professional training series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Issued in print and electronic formats.
ISBN 978-1-55059-681-6 (paperback).—ISBN 978-1-55059-684-7 (epub).—
ISBN 978-1-55059-682-3 (pdf).—ISBN 978-1-55059-683-0 (mobi)
1. Police dogs—Training—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Drug traffi c—Investigation—
Handbooks, manuals, etc. 3. Drug control—Handbooks, manuals, etc. 4. Drugs of
abuse—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Haak, Ruud, author II. Title. III. Series:
K9 professional training series
HV8025.G45 2017 363.2′32 C2016-906044-6
C2016-906045-4
Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................... vii
1 Selecting the Drug-Detector Dog and Handler ........................... 1
2 Basics of Drug-Detection Training ................................................ 16
3 Accidental Drug Uptake: First Aid for Your Dog ........................ 45
4 Reading Your Dog ..............................................................................5 5
5 Influence of Air Currents in Search Work ..................................... 73
6 Planning a Search Action .................................................... 100
7 General Information on Drugs, Drug Laws,
and Penalties ................................................................................... 125
8 The Different Drugs ........................................................................ 148
Conclusion ........................................................................................ 257
Appendix A: Canada’s Controlled Drugs and
Substances Act: Drug Schedules I–IV and VIII ............................2 59
Appendix B: Canada’s Controlled Drugs and
Substances Act: Punishments ....................................................... 270
Appendix C: United States Controlled Substances Act:
Drug Schedules I–V ......................................................................... 274
VI CONTENTS
Appendix D: United States Federal Trafficking Penalties
for Drugs Included in Schedules I–V ............................................ 277
Notes .................................................................................................2 81
Bibliography .................................................................................... 283
About the Authors ..........................................................................2 85
Index ................................................................................................. 289
Introduction
In 1930, R. and R. Menzel, a husband and wife team of doctors,
wrote: “The world of odors and search work is a closed book for
us people. Here, we are in the unpleasant situation where the dog
has to teach us something, instead of the other way around!” Still,
even as we rely on our dogs’ noses as we conduct search work,
we should also be aware of scents and other distractions that can
infl uence our dogs. In this book, we impart the most current infor-
mation about how K9 drug-detector handlers should train their
dogs, as well as essential knowledge about various infl uences on
dogs’ search work.
In the fi ght against drugs, K9s have been proven to be of great
value, so people the world over train dogs to detect drugs. A dog’s
reliability and ability when performing this task depends on how
suitable the dog is for the work and how well the handler can train
and assist the dog in operational situations. We hope this book will
provide an aid to those on the ground.
Be warned. Your well-trained drug-detector dog is a valuable
tool for those wishing to fl ush out a particular aspect of the drug
trade; because of this, your dog is a real hindrance to those operat-
ing in said trade. Criminals will not hesitate to try to poison or kill
your dog. Always be careful with strangers who want to approach
your dog or offer a food reward. And always make sure your dog is
lodged in a safe place.
VIII INTRODUCTION
We wish to thank the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration
( www.dea.gov ) and Four Winds K9 ( www.fourwindsk9.com ) for
permission to use their photos in this book, as well as Claudia
and André Boomaars of Dog Training Center Oosterhout ( www.
hondencentrum-claudia.nl ) for the photos of our training meth-
ods and the information they contributed to this book. We also
want to thank the Port Security Rotterdam (HBD) and the Rot-
terdam Police, especially Jan de Bruin, head of the dog training
center of the Rotterdam police force, and Nico Ram, who sadly
died too young, training instructor for police dogs of the regional
police Rotterdam-Rijnmond, for all their advice on training our
drug-detector dogs and for transferring their vast knowledge to us.
— Dr. Resi Gerritsen and Ruud Haak
Disclaimer
While the contents of this book are based on substantial experience and expertise,
working with dogs involves inherent risks, especially in dangerous settings and
situations. Anyone using app roaches described in this book does so entirely at their
own risk, and both the authors and publisher disclaim any liability for any injuries or
other damage that may be sustained.
1
Selecting the Drug-Detector
Dog and Handler
Only mentally and physically healthy dogs should be trained for
drug-detection work, which requires a variety of skills in many
different situations. Dog breeds with problems like hip and elbow
dysplasia, which prevent normal movement, may or may not have
problems with drug-detection work, but dogs with other heredi-
tary physical defects like epilepsy and eye disorders are defi nitely
unsuitable for the job. Training will only lead to success if the raw
material is sound, so you must carefully examine the characteristics
of the dog you want to train. It is equally important to look at the
characteristics of the handler who is going to teach the dog and
to look at what kind of team the dog and handler might become.
Scent training is mentally challenging. It requires a stable, mature
mentality in both the dog and the handler.
Physical Characteristics
Drug detection work is physically strenuous for dogs, so it makes
sense to train healthy animals. Many kinds of illnesses and medi-
cations affect the dog’s nose. Training a dog while his sense of
smell is not optimal will lead to all kinds of unnecessary, stress-
ful situations that are detrimental to the training. The physical