VIJAYAWADA: As many as 36 trained police dogs and their handlers were inducted into State police force at the passing-out parade of the 23rd Canine and Handlers Batch held at the ISW Canine Training Centre in the sixth APSP Battalion at Mangalagiri on Wednesday.
Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, who attended the event as chief guest, asserted that police dogs play a crucial role in crime detection along with modern technology, forensic evidence and scientific investigation. DGP Harish Kumar Gupta was guest of honour.
The 36 dogs underwent specialised training for 10 months. With their induction, the State Police now has 218 dogs deployed across various units. Anitha said around 78 dogs had been trained in two years.
The Home Minister said sniffer dogs could detect narcotics concealed in multiple layers, aiding drug investigations and indirectly protecting youngsters from abuse. She said the government was strengthening law and order through policing, technology, forensic services and the canine wing.
Anitha stressed comprehensive, evidence-based investigations, noting that canine teams could provide leads when technology or forensic evidence had limitations. She also highlighted public confidence in dog squads and presented awards to dogs excelling in training. She presented awards to dogs that excelled in various aspects of training.
The DGP said the 36 dogs had been trained in dual skills to meet changing crime patterns and internal security requirements. Thirteen dogs received dual training in explosive detection and tracking, while another 13 were trained in narcotics detection and tracking. Seven dogs were trained in explosive detection, two in cadaver detection along with search and rescue (SAR), and one in assault and explosive detection.
For the first time, cadaver detection and SAR-trained dogs are being inducted into the AP State Disaster Response Force (SDRF). Gupta said dual training would help in locating missing persons during disasters and expedite rescue operations. He said 22nd-batch dogs deployed in 19 units had already contributed to 97 cases, including 52 narcotics and ganja cases, 29 murder and crime cases, and 10 theft cases. They helped trace six missing children.
The DGP said dual-skilled dogs would reduce expenditure and manpower requirements while improving response time during investigations. He praised handlers for their commitment and stressed that dogs and handlers formed an inseparable team.