Are there any regulations or laws when it comes to selection of PSDs in US, or is it up to every policedistrict to evaluate dogs for servicework, and who perform these test and what tests are usually done? Also intressted in how they test green dogs for policework in Holland or germany. If they usually have the same methods or if the standards and selections vary much between different countries.

Since I'm the trainer for our department, I evaluate the dog to see if it's suitable for training. While we don't have laws etc on what is acceptable, we do have standards the trained dog has to meet before it can be used. To put it simply, a dog does not enter our program unless I approve it, test it and certify it.

DFrost

 Quote:

Originally posted by Stig Andersson:
Are there any regulations or laws when it comes to selection of PSDs in US, or is it up to every policedistrict to evaluate dogs for servicework, and who perform these test and what tests are usually done? Also intressted in how they test green dogs for policework in Holland or germany. If they usually have the same methods or if the standards and selections vary much between different countries.

The system in the U.S. isn't a system at all.
Though some states have placed standards on their law enforcement dogs it is rare here. Often each jurisdiction makes its choices as to how to conform to the interpretations of case law concerning search and seizure and civil liability.
This could be in house training, vender based training, the use of various grass roots type organizations that have develpoed over the years and rarely at state police dog school or local agency sponsered school.

In my agency I utilize a standard from Northrhine-Westfalia germany for certification of our dogs but not exclusively. I also do the NAPWDA examinations. All training is "in house" and I selection test all the dogs. We try, when funding is available to send people to seminars and schools in part so they can bring back fresh ideas, bring back some refreshed enthusiasm for the training and the work, and to demonstrate that we're not some closed off group doing secret training. As goofy as this may sound, plaintif's atorneys look towards this. Also, without some outside stimulation training can get stale, and you can find yourself in a routine that is detrimental to a program.
Here is a link to a selection test article I wrote some time ago for a sport magazine. On my site you can also find standards listed as well.
http://www.k9services.com/SelectionTesting.htm

I use a stake-out test to see if a dog is suitable for police work. You can see it on Dr. P's Website at

http://www.uwsp.edu/psych/dog/LA/castle1.htm

Here in Sweden all policedogs must first go thru a selectiontest performed by a person special trained for this, before they are allowed to start the training for the certification. This selectiontest usually involves a test of the mentality and drive of the dog, and also a test of behaviour in different environments, like dark rooms, different surfaces, stairs and so on.
I don´t know if there are any such regulations in rest of europe, or what methods usually are used in selection for policework in germany, holland and other countries.