K9 Applications

Question 1

You received a call for a rolling domestic dispute; call notes indicate the following:

• female and male involved in domestic
• female indicates male threatens to shoot and kill her
• female did not see weapon nor was one pointed at her
• female escapes from vehicle and male suspect drove off

A short time later, officers locate the suspect vehicle and he flees from officers. He crashes the vehicle and flees on foot into forest area.

You deploy your K9 for a track and your K9 gives a proximity alert to some bushes in the area.

How do you handle this situation as a handler?

Answer 1

Immediately treat as a barricaded suspect

Once proximity alert received find cover and establish a secure perimeter

Request for any additional resources like a drone to get better eyes on suspect

Develop a react team and plan

Make K9 announcements

If suspect does not surrender consider the following graham factors and department policy deployments:

Graham factors:

• suspected offenses of felony domestic battery/assault and aggravated assault
• immediate threat to officers based on suspects hidden location and possibility of being armed. Suspect has the potential to harm others by his continuation of resistance
• suspect fled and continued resisting arrest by hiding

Policy factors:

• suspect potentially committed violent felony
• suspect threatened to use violence and threatened to use a firearm
• suspect has shown resistance to arrest
• suspect presents a possible danger to public if K9 is not used
• if K9 is not used there is a potential for escape into deeper wooded area orresidential areas

My final decision would be to deploy K9 is suspect does not surrender

Question 2

You respond to a barricaded suspect who is hiding in a room. While searching the house, you K9 alerts and rips open a large garbage bag full of illegal drugs.

How do you handle this situation?

Answer 2

Continue searching for suspect and handle this situation first, due to the threat of safety still existing.

After scene is secure and any threats of danger subdued. I would direct officers to secure residence and obtain a search warrant based on the alert.

Because we are there for a lawful purpose “right to be right to see” the alert would be valid.

Case law indicates instinctive actions by k9 does not constitute an unlawful search.

Question 3

You are on scene conducting a felony stop. The driver is a know gang member who has alerts for being armed. The sergeant on scene demands you deploy your dog on the suspect, you decide not to deploy your K9. The sergeant again tells you to deploy your K9 against your decision.

How do you handle this situation?

Answer 3

Per department canine policy, the handler has the final determination on the deployment of a K9. However the supervisor can tell you not to deploy one.

I would respectfully decline the deployment again and ensure the situation is handled safely first.

After suspect is in custody I would speak with supervisor in private setting explain my reasons for not deploying the K9.

If the supervisor is still not receptive, I would address this with the K9 supervisor and handle up the chain if necessary.

Question 4

How should K9 announcements be made?

Answer 4

Loudly and clearly

Document on radio when announcements were made

Make announcements in language suspect speaks

When safe to do so update periodically with announcements

Ask witnesses upon completion if they were able to hear announcements