Police K9 Training

Falco K9 Academy is committed to preparing the Police K9 Handler and Dog for patrol duties and then maintaining their overall effectiveness. All of the available training techniques to achieve this goal will be used.

Nothing in this manual supersedes State/Federal law, Departmental Procedure Manual or the Department’s K9 Unit Manual. These are guidelines only.


About Being a K9 Handler

Being a K9 handler is one the most difficult responsibilities in the entire police department. You will be under a microscope in regard to all of your activity. You must be public relations minded and be mindful that you are an ambassador for the department and city. And lastly, you must take your work home with you and care for an animal 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

With all this responsibility come great rewards though. There is nothing better than seeing you’re dog work to locate a hidden suspect. Or to track another suspect to a location that would have never been identified as a hiding place. The great adulation you receive from citizens and officers when they see your dog perform in public demonstrations.

Concentrate on those moments when your dog, fellow officers or administrators let you down. Remember that your dog is just a dog when he becomes confused and doesn’t understand what it is you are asking from him. Remember that there is a lot that your fellow officers and administrators don’t understand about you and your dog and how the two of you work together.

Lastly, remember that your dog is a “searching tool” first not a “use of force tool”. You and your dog’s main purpose are to find people and things. That fact that your dog will protect you and itself is secondary.


Use of the Police K9

The proper use of your police K9 in actual deployments and in training is ultimately your (the K9 handler) responsibility. Care should always be taken to safeguard the dog, citizens and fellow officers. Always be mindful of your department policy and reasonableness in deciding whether or not to use your K9 partner.

At Falco K9 Academy we strive to prepare the handler to the best of our ability. However not every circumstance or variable can be duplicated in training. Remember that your dog is a tool for you and your fellow officers. The dog, like any other tool, can be used by itself or in combination with any other tool. The handler is left to use his or her best judgment and experience in using any kind tool and/or force, including the police K9.

Remember that in our training scenarios we use other tools such as a simulated handgun, striking instrument or tazer, in our training scenarios. This does not mean any or all combinations will work in any given real life deployment. Use your best judgment and experience in deciding what route you take to resolve your situation.

Having a police K9 does not exclude you from using common sense and good officer safety. Waiting for back up, using cover and communications are just some of the disciplines that seem to take a backseat with K9 handlers. This should not be the case…particularly for K9 handlers. The purpose of the K9 is to assist us in locating hidden suspects, catching fleeing suspects and for protection. The K9 does not make you bullet proof or exempt from civil liability.


Training

At no time will harsh or inhumane forms of training be used. For example, sharpened pinch collars, tazers, cattle prods, etc. Complete care should always be used to insure the safety of the dog.

The academy staff will use all forms of teaching to develop the handler’s knowledge of training and handling of their dogs. In addition, the handler should always strive to increase their knowledge through continued education with Falco K9 Academy and other outside sources.

We believe that the team should be trained in the environment it will work. Therefore it will be the responsibility of the contract department to locate sites for training. Insuring you and your K9 have varied training locations is one of the most important jobs of the handler. It is critical that the dog learns to search and protect in a number of environments so as to increase its chances for success in the field. Falco K9 Academy provides all teams with a sample tri-fold that can be given to commercial and residential contacts in your city. The tri-fold describes the K9 unit and discusses their need for training locations. These handouts were created with maximum positive public relationship in mind.
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