K-9s

[cdc_cop]

Does anybody have K-9s in the department you work for? In California, I heard we have them in certain institutions and at some parole offices in the state, but I haven't seen any at my institution.

If you guys have them, what roles do they play in prison and how effective are they? Are there any drawbacks?

[Bowles]

My facility houses the regional K-9 unit. They do no work on the institution they serve only as tracking dogs for escapes.
Our superintendent has decided that he doesn't want dogs walking thru his camp. We send 300+ inmates out the gate to work everyday, our facility is right by the road and drugs and other contraband often fly in over the fence and the only time dogs are on the institution is when the interdiction team shows up which our superintendent has no control over. Even then they only check visitors coming on the institution.
Sad Huh.

[BillP]

Drug Interdiction program uses K-9's, and is pretty proficent. They train with the State Police and do some DEA training as well. Each team is assigned several Institutions to cover.

Sure is fun to work search with the K-9, especially when you do the visitors parking lot. Amazing how many 'loved ones' decide to not visit when they see the dogs working the lots.

And it is not a bad position to get, as it gives a promotion (the stripes actually belong to the dog) to Sergeant.

[thirdgod]

We've got K-9s, both shepherds/malinois at the institutions and bloodhounds for tracking. The institution K-9 teams are trained in both narcotics detection and handler protection. They generally get used to shake down incoming people(visitors AND staff, but I won't even begin that rant right now) but are also used for CELL EXTRACTION. If you've never seen a dog yank a combative inmate out of his cell by the crotch, I'd highly recommend it!

[SQCO]

We had them at San Quentin for about 1 hour several years ago. That was how long it took the Death Row Lawyers to call Sacramento and they have not been back since. That is why there is so much dope available.

[cdc_cop]

We've got K-9s, both shepherds/malinois at the institutions and bloodhounds for tracking. The institution K-9 teams are trained in both narcotics detection and handler protection. They generally get used to shake down incoming people(visitors AND staff, but I won't even begin that rant right now) but are also used for CELL EXTRACTION. If you've never seen a dog yank a combative inmate out of his cell by the crotch, I'd highly recommend it!

Sweet!! I'd love to watch a K-9 extraction team.

Hey, would you guys like to swap your governor for ours in California?

[Skip08]

I am a Dog Handler within a maximum security centre in australia. we are used for crowd/riot control, high escorts internally as well as externally, cell relocations and extractions, drug detection, tracking escapees and even the local police have used us to search for lost people(civies). We also can take our dog into any part of the centre that we as Correctional Officers are allowed to go in accordance to legislation. policy and procedure. This means we can go for a internal patrol whenever we want we are requested to attend sport sessions and lockaways and unlocks. It is the best job going plenty of job satisfaction as you see results from the time you put into your mate.

Cheers

Skip08

[Skip08]

Sorry I forgot to say that we have German Shepherds and Rotties for what is classified as General Purpose Dogs which do crowd control, tracking, article searches, active drug detection (they try to retrieve the contraband instead of sitting when they found it), we have labs for passive drug work (searching people) The only drawback is that some staff who have bred dogs reckon they know all about dogs and they feel that we act argogantly when asking them to get out of the way.

[tanikir]

My facility has a K-9. He travels to 3 facilities in our region and his sole purpose is drug interdiction. I have been told we also use an explosive detection dog from time to time.

[Jabrim]

Nope:

We use to have them from what I understand, we're trying to get them back. Past Sheriff did away with them. We're getting back a cadaver (Sp) dog. I think the idea of K-9's in the correctional facility is great, for contraband, exclusively even to drugs.

[jeepsta311]

we just started having k9s in our facility compliments of a local pd, so far they just are getting the feel of the place. these are attack dogs, german shepherds, hopefully we can have them for cell extractions,assaults, etc. we have had our new facility open for a year now. but the presence of them there is beginning to be an eye opener for the inmates, unreal how many toilets flush when they enter a unit, although they don't realize they aren't drug dogs, keeps them on their toes.

[MP_HANDLER]

we do interdiction work at the corrections fac. next to us, always lots of fun watching the cells get tossed. and yes doing visitors parking is always amuzing when you see em drive up then drive away

[cccsgt]

the squad has one and sometimes two drug dogs at CTF-Soledad.

[InspectorGadget]

Corrections K9

I am a K9 handler for Oregon DOC. We have three drug detection K9's in the Department. We work in all of the institutions, with great support from administrators. Everybody but the inmates thinks it's great. I think we have been pretty successful, my dog has located testable substance 7 times in the last 6 weeks, in four different institutions. Two times in visitor vehicles in the parking lot. They are a great investigative tool, and a good deterrent when the visitors know we have them. We don't use patrol or "bite" dogs, but I wish we could. I would imagine, if the state would let us ask, we would have about 50 patrol dog handlers from around the state, just chomping at the bit to get in on an extraction.

[Dragon1250]

Being a smaller county department we don't have the funding for a fulltime K9 for the jail. It has probably been about 6 years since we have had any dogs in for shakedowns. Last time we used them a former CO that shot his wife tried to attack the dog. Between the dog and our extraction team, I think he learned that was a mistake.