Pretoria – An undeniably important part of any police force was its canine unit, police spokesperson Captain Pinky Tsinyane said.
She was speaking at the K9 unit assessment in Silverton where German shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Rottweilers, Jack Russells and a number of Labradors were being evaluated.
The dogs are part of the SAPS rapid response unit for serious crimes, Tsinyane said.
That meant they were often the first on the site of a crime. “Yet we don’t hear enough about the bravery of these four-legged officers and the sacrifices they make to protect us,” said Tsinyane.
Brady is the more famous furry operative – a dog that can detect the whiff of petrol, paraffin or spirits that caused fire.
He is a trained fire investigation dog and had been with the police force since 2007.
His handlers said he had an incredible ability to smell, to help investigators determine whether a fire was deliberately set, and sometimes even who set it.
The selection process was no walk in the park and not every dog was cut out for service.
The SAPS, like most police services around the world, only used certain breeds of dogs as part of its canine unit.
But that’s not all; dogs also had to be of a certain age to join the force, with puppies between nine months and three years being considered.
They also had to undergo rigorous assessment to ensure they were ready to be trained.
K9 Unit member Warrant Officer Tommy van Staden said when a dog was received, the trainers first established its personality in order to decide which section it could be trained for.
For example, if a dog enjoyed playing with a ball and had a keen play drive and good focus, it would typically be trained for patrol or explosives.
“Brave as they are, our canine officers do need our help, and currently there is a shortage of dogs in the SAPS K-9 Units, mainly due to old age, injury, and untimely deaths,’’ said Van Staden.
The unit asked members of the public to donate puppies to the unit, especially owners of Jack Russells, German shepherds, Alsatians and Rottweilers.
“This call for help is indicative of the importance of these furry heroes. They play a critical part in keeping our police units strong and helping to make our streets safer every day,” said Van Staden.
Each handler thought of their dog as “the best in the world”, he said, much the same as parents always bragged about their children.
The bonding process between the handler and the dog was very important in the police unit which lasted much longer than the time they were together and on active duty. Most police officers still had their first dogs from the field, he said.
The dogs went for medical examinations every three months, and this included vaccines and deworming.
The Pretoria News had the opportunity to view the simulation of the K9’s attacking a “criminal”.
Sprinting across the field, Bruno leapt into the air and with one swift, violent twist brought the “thug” to the ground.
With an intense concentration and ferocious bite, Bruno is a perfect example of how effective dogs can be in tracking down armed criminals.
The SAPS stressed the need for dog donations to be trained as police dogs.
It said a number of dogs had recently been retired after serving the nation and their handlers with distinction.