NYPD Police Dogs Protect the Olympics

By Amy Fernandez

The Paris Olympics got off to an interesting start –before the games even started. The first bit of news concerned allegations of Canadian drones spying on a New Zealand team, followed shortly by sabotaged rail service into Paris. Predictably, security has taken center stage. Both Paris and the Olympics have been targeted before. Additionally, the 2024 games in Paris were widely viewed as the organization’s opportunity to reset the dial on public interest. In recent years, viewership has fallen and Covid didn’t help matters. Paris in the summer seemed irresistible, and advance ticket sales hit 8.5 million, setting a record well before the official start date.

So, there’s plenty riding on Summer 2024 in terms of brand image, consumer expectations and financial investments. Everything must be seamless. Helping to ensure that, the NYPD K-9 detection dog unit has been deployed to Paris. Don’t start thinking free vacation on the taxpayers, this initiative comes by invitation from the 2024 Olympic committee, and they are footing the bill.

It does however make quite a statement about the quality and reputation of our K9 officers. The NYC NYPD, with approximately 30,000 officers, ranks among the nation’s largest police forces. That includes a longstanding reliance on K9s. At last count, we’ve got 145 on active duty. Big investment but NYC is no stranger to terrorism.

In 2016, the NYPD introduced its first vapor wake dogs, a specialized sector of detection work.  Developed at Auburn’s Canine Performance Sciences Program more than a decade ago, it amplifies the potential value of canine ability to identify scent molecules lingering in the atmosphere. The classic example is the Bloodhound’s uncanny trailing skill. Regardless of cold trails and impossible conditions they manage to find and follow the faintest traces of their target lingering in the environment.

This offers a new procedural spin on traditional detection dog work. Typically, dogs are trained to identify specific scents, which can range from contraband cash to smuggled animals, and of course weapons and explosives. However, the search procedure is limited by location or item. Detection teams work within a narrow perimeter that relies on dog/handler communication. The handler directs the dog to search specific targets and the dog responds by alerting in a recognizable manner when it detects that target. It’s highly effective for checking luggage at airports, but that methodology becomes   logistically useless for a sprawling extravaganza encompassing multiple venues, transportation hubs, celebratory events, and a gazillion people. No human security measures could possibly patrol that territory.

Vapor wake training took detection work to a new level where dog leads the way, scoping out the terrain for the faintest hint of specific scents. When it detects a suspicious scent, the handler follows until that item or person is identified. This casts a much wider net than the traditional approach. Additionally, it never involves direct interaction like the classic K9 alert where the humans jump in. This has obvious advantages in large crowds and potentially volatile situations. People don’t panic and suspects don’t realize they’ve been tapped.

But as the saying goes, they don’t grow on trees. Vapor wake dogs are in high demand and short supply, which is why the Olympic Committee asked to borrow some from NYC. In addition to major cities, plenty of private sector organizations purchase them as part of their ongoing security initiatives. Like Seeing Eye dogs, training starts early. The basics of socialization and good behavior lay the foundation for very intensive dog and handler training that begins when dogs are about 18 months old. At that point they are introduced to specific target scents that will define their job. Ammonium nitrate, gunpowder and hydrogen peroxide are just a few of the substances that these dogs are trained to seek and find.   Training is intensive and requires extensive ongoing education and recertification to maintain skills. Both dogs and humans can fail at any stage of the process because lots of humans can’t get onboard with standing back while the dog drives the bus.

Auburn, which has led the way in this branch of K9 detection work, has also established selective criteria to identify and perpetuate the traits required for this job. This is no hit or miss approach, it’s truly selective breeding at its finest. In addition to documenting dogs that excel, they have been building a breeding program to enhance and reproduce those key traits. Obviously, that begins with superior scenting ability, but olfactory talent means nothing if the dog cannot remain focused and determined amidst massive crowds and a mountain of distractions, which are the normal working environment for this job. That is genetic; no amount of practice can create it. It comes down to a careful blend of behavioral traits, some of which almost seem contradictory. Strong working drive, energy, independence, versatility coupled with a totally calm and cool attitude.

Equally important, vapor wake dogs must be built to work. Typical careers span 8-10 years before they retire to couch potato status with lifetime health care guaranteed. Sturdy and sound structure is not a matter of luck; it is the product of painstaking, rigorous selection. And, although the anti-purebred contingent loves to decry the value of visual appeal as merely a beauty contest, looks matter as much as the rest of the package. Above all, security teams must not alarm people or potentially alert perps. That’s why the USDA prefers Beagles. Other breeds can do that job but even timid humans are generally ok when they see Snoopy walking around the airport. The biggest problem is preventing unwanted cuddles and kisses. Likewise, German Shepherds and Malinois are visually intimidating and time and again, it’s been proven that the mere presence of those breeds serves as a crime deterrent. But it is most definitely not a good look for inconspicuously defining threats in crowds. These dogs must look harmless and boring.

Long story short, there is a limited population of dogs that fit this narrow profile and the NYC Counterterrorism Bureau has a nice team. So, a contingent of humans has an all-expense paid two-week trip of a lifetime thanks to dogs.

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Posted by admin on Jul 31 2024. Filed under Current Articles, Featured. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. Both comments and pings are currently closed.