I have posted before that my SAR teams biggest call out is for cadaver dogs and we are trying to build credibility in that field.

It is interesting that THIS is an area most likely for LE to call, considering the human remains dog and handler are more likely to wind up in court than a typical search dog.

I know other SAR teams have had similar experiences so we are working seriously on building this house on a firm foundation.

Anyway, (1) in buidling credibilty with LE, what outside certifications hold value -

NASAR - National Association of Search and Rescue
LETS - Law Enforcement Training Specialists
NNDDA - National Narcotic Detector Dog Association
IPWA - International Police Working Dog Association

As you would know, USPCA and NAPWDA do NOT certifiy civilians in cadaver.

(2) "Legally Obtained Training Material", boy, that is a mouthful and I know LEOs who work for police departments as dog handlers even have trouble securing an adequate spectrum of material for themselves. If anyone has special insights (I am suggesting our team work directly with a lawyer on this one )- as best I can tell the closest I find in our regs is "research purposes" and "informed consent"

(3) Other considerations - what would you look for to deploy said kind of teams?

We all have documented blood borne pathogens, haz mat, crime scene preservation, FBI criminal background checks, keep thorough training records, keep up with Terry Fleck info, etc. I had even considered getting BLET and becoming reserve officer but that is above and beyond what I can do time and money wise right now.

Hi Nancy,
Check your PM