How Dubai Police dogs are trained to sniff out crime
From uncovering bodies to detecting arson, we look at how Dubai’s K9 police dogs are selected and trained
They are sharp, they come in different shapes, sizes and breeds and they have this uncanny knack of sniffing out crime. From uncovering dead bodies to detecting arson, to tracking leads, they always hit the ground running.
And their biggest reward at the end of it all is perhaps a loving pat on the head or a special meat treat.
Welcome to the world of Dubai Police’s K9 Unit, where canines call the shots.
From German Shepherds, to Dutch Shepherds, Malinois dog, English Springer to Labrador Retrievers, and Cocker Spaniels, the special unit has 73 canines in its fold and 63 professional trainers hone their ability to make for a crack team in the fight against crime.
Major Salah Khalifa Al Mazrouei, Director of Dubai Police Security Inspection K9 Unit, said in 2021, the special unit carried out 2,830 missions, including 1,321 security checks, 542 Covid-19 screenings, 480 guard duties, 381 security patrols, 53 anti-drug operations, 30 leads tracking, 20 raids, 11 fire detections, as well as 879 special missions for securing the global event Expo 2020 Dubai before and after the grand opening.
Breed-based missions
Interestingly missions and tasks are distributed among the unit based on their specialities. “German and Dutch Shepherds and Malinois dogs handle guarding duties, lead tracking and detection of all kinds as they are known for being more resilient, said Maj Al Mazrouei.
“On the other hand, English
Springer, Labrador Retriever, and Cocker Spaniel specialise in recovering hidden narcotics and explosives, uncovering dead bodies, searching for missing persons, and tracking possessions and flaming materials,”
“A specialised committee is tasked to handle canine recruitments based on their instincts and capabilities for policing missions and handle the workload. Canines join the Dubai Police team at ten months or a year and half of age and continue to serve the Force for seven more years,” Maj Al Mazrouei revealed.
“During their years of service, K9s undergo medical checkups and performance tests to determine their capabilities to carry out police work. In cases where veterinarians or the canine trainers recommend retirement, the dogs are placed for adoption under certain conditions. We get many applications from dog lovers,” he said.
Captain Khalifa Al Suwaidi, head of Security Missions section, said that K9s are a vital aspect of policing operations, including search and rescue missions, lead tracking, and guarding, to name a
few. “Each canine has his/her speciality based on its breed. There are ones that excel in tracking leads, others in searching for missing persons by their scent, others in uncovering dead bodies and body parts despite the time of death or the depth of their burial,” Cap. Al Suwaidi explained.
Canines join the Dubai Police team at ten months or a year and half of age and continue to serve the Force for seven more years.
Major Salah Khalifa Al Mazrouei Director of Dubai Police Security Inspection K9 Unit
Narcotics missions
“Some canines are assigned for anti-narcotics missions to detect narcotics, psychotropic substances such as weed, opium, marijuana, hallucinogenic drugs, amphetamine, heroin, and cocaine…etc. During the mission, K9s sniff out hidden drugs even if buried,” he continued.
“We dispatch canines to determine if a fire breakout is a case of arson by sniffing out gasoline, diesel, kerosene, …etc.,” the head of security missions section added.
Maj Al Mazrouei also explained out how the K9 Unit helped in the fight against Covid-19. “K9 sniffer dogs have been stationed at airports across the country to help detect traces of Coronavirus from passenger sweat samples. They can detect cases with 92 per cent accuracy,” he added
“We have trained 38 canines, including German Shepherds, Labradors, Cocker Spaniels and Border Collies, to recognise the scent of Covid-19 using samples of sweat from people with confirmed infections, collected by holding a swab in an armpit for a few minutes. There is no direct contact between the canines and the passengers,” said Maj Al Mazrouei.
Captain Saud Sultan Al Suwaidi, head of Technical Affairs and Training Department, said canines and their trainers accumulated a combined 7,923 hours of training in 2021.