Hey guys...
"The Proof is in the Pudding" so to speak...
Word started to move. When you perform a good demo, talk to groups of people and they hear you talking....it can go either way.
The guys talk, they either say....man she has NO IDEA or MAN, SHE KNOWS HER STUFF. Therefore it is imperative that you know what you are talking about as far as searching, the differences between the types of dogs, and your attitude and professional outlook on working with LE.
Now, with the odor detection canines, how it was explained to me, is it is not because civilians cannot do the work, but rather there is quite a bit of legal "strings" attached as well as liability. Therefore, they tend to stay with the officers doing the work...
I will venture into bitework enough to say that the "proof is in the pudding" probably would apply here as well.
After talking to many officers from our county and city, this is big for all of them.
These departments take on a TON of responsibility and liability when it comes to working dogs. It is safer liability-wise for them to keep it within the department.
This goes for training as well. Our local K9 handlers cannot come to our local SCH club (and I know of three that want to) for any type of training with the department dogs. Even though the department has twice a month training and the club trains twice a week. Many of the club dogs are MUCH nicer than some of the K9s in training and control, and the helpers are way more experienced that most of the handlers. The officers are not allowed the option. It is all a liability and quality control thing.
We even have an ex-officer, who was the instructor for the K9 program for (I believe) fifteen years that recently retired. He is now civilian, and is not allowed to continue training with the dogs. He has been replaced by a man that has three years experience. If our department were to ever allow a civilian to work the dogs, he would be the one...
Like many other facets of the police world, the private sector is not as limited in every regard as the police and are always in it because of a love.
Sadly, all too often, officers are in things because it is the job. As an example, I am a better shot than 60% of the department (Not a brag... My Rob is the instructor/qualifier for the department, so he has first hand knowledge). But it is because it is something I love to do, and go down to the department range every other day. Most (certainly not all) officers go to only what is required training and qualifying, which is quarterly.
The dog world is the same, you guys LOVE this sport (pick one, SAR, odor detection, bite work, etc...). Some of you may live and breathe the sport and are far superior in experience (although books do not a trainer make...) but in the end, often the departments hands are tied and they are not able to take advantage of your passion, unless you are able to prove yourself to the person (in our case the chief and the city council) who hold the strings.
*I want to reiterate, I know that LEOs are in this field because they want to be, and I don’t mean t imply that they aren’t. I also know that some special assignments are sought after for political reasons, set schedules, take home cars, and extra pay… But I do know that many are also there because of the passion we feel*
But just as big is what has been hinted at, and that is politics.
Many departments are of the thought that training from a private entity is not as good as training from LE. Carol ran into this, and had to prove herself. She proved herself to be as good as, or better than what the department had available. (BTW, good for you Carol!)
I will use another Rob example. He and a friend have a passion for firearms and tactics that many here have for dog training. They spent their own money and time to go to various schools and classes and became instructors for some of them, as well as became the SWAT team leaders (and Rob the sergeant of the team) and took advantage of every school that the departments would send them to and competed on department teams. They wanted to start a business to train other officers and departments as a private school, and NOT open to the public.
They spent years (and a fortune) getting the business started. To get the departments interested, they offered to for free, come out and give demonstrations of their skills to the SWAT teams and other officers. They could not get a single department interested and the business failed (if you want a T-shirt, he has boxes in the garage!) The reason I mention this, is because of one infamous phone call. He called a local police department to offer his services, and the lieutenant that answered the phone politely refused the service (sound familiar?) when he hung up the phone, he turned to the room of other officers and said, “Who does this guy think he is? What the hell does he know that I don’t know!?!” Got lots of laughs. Many of the officers in the room knew Rob and his credentials/reputation and teased him later. He now works at this department, and this is a big joke, because that lieutenant now loves all of the training that he turned down before.
So moral is, there is a distrust of civilian training when they can get POST certified classes (in CA) within the police community. And these guys were cops! Politics, cost, liability and quality control are all of the things you are going up against. If, despite all of that, you can
prove yourself like Carol did (!!! :grin
you may be able to break in.
Wow, that felt like a lot of rambling. I hope it makes sense to somebody…
*Disclaimer- I am not a LEO, just live with one and am friends with many. These are often a topic of conversation in our home, so this is the view point of a handful of our local officers… *
Jessica
Narcotic Detection Certification
Top
Previous Topic
Index
Next Topic.jpg)
.jpg)
