Police dog
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[[Image:Swedish police dogs.jpg|thumb|right|Swedish [[German Shepherd Dog|German Shepherds]] in action during demonstrations in Stockholm on [[National holiday of Sweden|National Day]], 2007.]]
A '''police dog''' is a [[dog]] that is trained specifically to assist [[police]] and similar law-enforcement personnel with their work. Police dogs are often referred to by the term '''K9''', which sounds like the term '''canine''', a word that generally refers to the dog and its relatives.
In many jurisdictions the intentional injury or killing of a police dog is a [[felony]], subjecting the perpetrator to harsher penalties than the statutes embodied in local [[animal cruelty]] laws. Depending on jurisdiction, the perpetrator may be charged the same as if a human officer were injured or killed. A growing number of forces outfit dogs with bulletproof vests. Furthermore, a police dog killed in the line of duty is traditionally given a full police funeral/burial just as they would for a human officer.[http://www.cnn.com/US/9706/27/police.dog/index.html] If the dog is killed by another animal, like a [[big cat]], [[bear]], or another [[dog]], the animal would be shot.
==Purpose and function==
[[Image:BelgianMalinoisasK9unit.jpg|thumb|right|A Belgian Malinois of a police K9 unit.]]
Roles police dogs fill include:
* '''Public order enforcement dog''' - The "traditional" image of a police dog is one used to enforce public order by chasing and holding suspects, or detaining suspects by virtue of the threat of it being released. [[German Shepherd Dog|German Shepherds]] are commonly used; however, some forces have used [[Belgian Shepherd Malinois|Belgian Malinois]], [[Rottweiler]]s, [[Doberman Pinscher|Doberman]]s, and even [[American Pit Bull Terrier]]s.
* '''Tracking dog''' - A [[tracking (dog)|tracking]] dog is used to locate suspects or finding missing persons or objects. [[Bloodhound]]s are often used for this task.
* '''Illicit substances dog''' - Some dogs are used to detect illicit substances such as drugs or explosives which may be carried on a person in their effects. In many countries, [[Beagles]] are used in airports to sniff the baggage for items that are not permitted; due to their friendly nature and appearance, the beagle does not worry the passengers.{{Fact|date=April 2007}}
* '''Cadaver dogs''' - Some dogs are trained in detecting the odor of [[decomposition|decomposing]] [[body|bodies]]. Dogs' noses are so sensitive that they are even capable of detecting bodies that are under running water.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} Pioneering work was done by Dr. Debra Komar (University of Alberta) in Association with the [http://www.canadiansearchdogs.com/index.htm RCMP Civilian Search Dog Association] in this area. The result was the development of training techniques that resulted in near 100% accuracy rates<ref>{{cite web
|title = Cadaver dogs—A study on detection of contaminated carpet squares
|author = L. Oesterhelweg et al.
|journal = Forensic Science International
|url = http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T6W-4NFRV0V-1&_user=1460874&_coverDate=04%2F09%2F2007&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000052796&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=1460874&md5=5aa38e5f6e47749376fb471159cc0628
}}</ref>. Her research has been published in the Journal of Forensic Anthropology.
==Illicit substances detection==
{{main|detection dog}}
Police departments and government agencies also use dogs to detect illicit or dangerous substances, such as narcotics<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.supremecourtofohio.gov/Communications_Office/summaries/2007/0523/052420.asp|title=Drug Dog ‘Sniff’ of Car During Normal Background Check Does Not Violate Driver’s Constitutional Rights}}</ref> or explosives.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.metrokc.gov/Kcdot/aboutus/intransit/2007/07_jan-feb_bomb.stm|title=Bomb Team Joins Metro Police|publisher=King County, Washington}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.state.gov/m/ds/rls/33087.htm|title=A Nose for Trouble: How the State Department Uses Bomb Detection Dogs|publisher=U.S. Department of State}}</ref> For example, as of February 2007, the U.S. [[Transportation Security Administration]] currently uses 420 trained dogs to patrol 75 airports and 13 major transit systems.
==Popular Police Dog Breeds==
{{main|List of police dog breeds}}
*[[German Shepherd]]
*[[Dutch Shepherd]]
*[[Belgian Malinois]]
*[[Labrador Retriever]]
*[[Springer Spaniel]]
*[[Bloodhound]]
*[[Beagle]]
==Retirement==
Police dogs are retired when they are injured, too old or sick to continue working, become pregnant, or when raising pups.
==Police dogs in the United Kingdom==
General purpose police dogs in [[Policing in the United Kingdom|British police forces]] are usually German Shepherds, also known as Alsatians. 'Passive' drug dogs (used to sniff people as they pass to determine whether they are carrying drugs, but not to actually touch them) are often [[Labrador Retriever|Labradors]], known for their placid and friendly nature. 'Active' drug dogs (which search for drugs in locations instead of on people) and explosives dogs are usually [[Springer Spaniel]]s, known for their inquisitiveness, intelligence and enthusiasm. General purpose dogs and passive drugs dogs are usually trained to search for objects as well.
Handlers and their dogs must be licensed by the [[Home Office]], following a thirteen-week course. They are licensed as a team and handlers cannot work each others' dogs unless they undergo a licensing course with the other dog as well (which only lasts six weeks if both handler and dog are already fully-trained).
==Police dogs in Belgium==
The Belgian Canine Support Group is part of the country's [[Belgian police|federal police]]. It has 35 dog teams. Some dogs are trained to detect drugs, human remains, hormones or fire accelerants. About a third are tracker dogs trained to find or identify living people. These teams are often deployed to earthquake areas to locate people trapped in collapsed buildings. The federal police’s explosive detector dogs are attached to the [[Federal Police Special Units]].
==Police dogs in the Netherlands==
The Dutch [[Mounted Police]] and Police Dog Service (DLHP) is part of the ''[[Korps landelijke politiediensten]]'' (KLPD; National Police Services Agency) and supports other units with horse patrols and specially trained dogs. The DLHP’s dogs are trained to recognize a single specific scent. They specialize in identifying scents (identifying the scent shared by an object and a person), narcotics, explosives and firearms, detecting human remains, locating drowning people and fire accelerants.
The KLPD is just one of the 26 police regions in the Netherlands. Every other region has its own K9-unit.
For example, the K9-unit of the regional police Amsterdam-Amstelland has 24 patroldog handlers
and 6 specialdog handlers and 4 instructors.
The unit has 24 patroldogs, 3 explosives/firearms dogs, 3 active narcotic dogs, 2 passive narcotic dogs,
2 scents idetifying dogs, 1 crime scene dog and 1 USAR dog.
They work on a 24/7 basis, every shift (07:00-15:00 / 15:00-23:00 / 23:00-07:00hrs) has a minimum of 2 patroldog handlers on patrol. The special dog handlers work only in the dayshift or after a call.
==State statutes on police dogs in the U.S.==
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*[http://www.legislature.state.al.us/CodeofAlabama/1975/13A-11-15.htm Alabama statute]
*[http://www.touchngo.com/lglcntr/akstats/Statutes/Title11/Chapter56/Section705.htm Alaska statute]
*[http://www.azleg.state.az.us/FormatDocument.asp?inDoc=/ars/13/02910.htm&Title=13&DocType=ARS Arizona statute]
*[http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/NXT/gateway.dll?f=templates&fn=default.htm&vid=blr:code Arkansas statute]
*[http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate?WAISdocID=7312402510+0+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve California statute (Sec. 600)]
*[http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=69275 Oklahoma statute #1]
*[http://www.oscn.net/applications/oscn/DeliverDocument.asp?CiteID=69274 Oklahoma statute #2]
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==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*[http://www.canadiansearchdogs.com/index.htm RCMP Civilian Search Dog Association (cadaver dogs)]
*[http://www.policek9.com The Police Dog Home Page]
*[http://www.napwda.com The North American Police Work Dog Association]
*[http://www.police.nashville.org/bureaus/fieldops/special_operations.htm Nashville Police Special Operations, K-9]
*[http://www.workingdogforum.com/ Working Dog Forum, Discussion Forum for Working Dog owners, law enforcement, military and civilian]
* {{commons-inline|Category:Police dogs|Police dogs}}
[[Category:Law enforcement equipment|Dog, Police]]
[[Category:Working dogs]]
[[Category: Dog type]]
[[de:Diensthund]]
[[es:Perros policía]]
[[fr:Chien policier]]
[[nl:Politiehond]]
[[ja:警察犬]]
[[no:Politihund]]
[[sr:Полицијски пас]]
[[fi:Poliisikoira]]