Do you have an opinion on the best type of response, (passive or aggressive), to use in narcotic detection?

I prefer an aggressive response with a drug dog. I think it allows for a few more handler errors, it also allows the handler to work his dog in higher drive. An aggressive response will also usually result in the dog making an indication closer to the actual hiding spot.

Now having said this my current narcotics dog is a passive indicator. He has so much drive and is so into his work that he would rip the dash boards out of cars. The choice was to turn him into a passive dog or not use him.

When a department is concerned about scratched cars or damage from a high drive dog a passive indication is better than no drug dog. So in my opinion there is a place for both passive and aggressive dogs. It will come down to your dog and your department.