NCJ Number
132798
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 58 Issue: 10 Dated: (October 1991) Pages: 59-60,62-63,65
Date Published
1991
Length
5 pages
Annotation
After a brief review of the history of the use of trained dogs to detect explosives, this article describes the use and training of explosives-detecting canines by the Connecticut State Police.
Abstract
The Connecticut State Police canine unit, established in 1937, is a section of the Emergency Services Unit. Between 1971 and 1985, the unit trained two Labradors and two German shepherds in explosives detection, using a modified food reward system for the Labradors and the ball reward system for the shepherds. In 1988 the department obtained an 18-month-old female Labrador retriever and trained her on the food reward system between June and December 1988 when she became operational. The Pavlovian food reward system has proven to be the best method for training detection dogs in explosive and accelerant odors. Whereas other training methods tend to wane in their influence over time, the food reward system forces the dog to work daily for sustenance. Connecticut has also found that specialized odor-detection dogs are more effective and reliable than cross-trained canines. Experience indicates that the food reward training and maintenance system produces an odor-detection dog that can be worked by more than one handler.