NEW DELHI: To enhance the capabilities of its K9 unit, the Delhi Police is set to acquire 72 more dogs, bringing the total number of canine officers to 136, officials said on Wednesday. The move is part of efforts to strengthen the force’s canine squad, which plays a crucial role in modern policing.
Established in 1968, the Delhi Police K9 Squad (also known as the Dog Squad) is integral to law enforcement, with dogs trained to detect explosives, track suspects and perform other critical tasks.
Currently, the squad comprises 64 dogs and 111 handlers/trainers. However, with the addition of 72 more dogs, the squad will be further diversified, with each district to be equipped with a specialised team, a senior police officer said. “This will ensure the availability of dogs trained in five key areas: explosive detection, tracking, narcotics detection, search and rescue, and combat assault. The plan is to deploy at least one squad in each district with dogs trained in these areas. As part of the expansion, the number of handlers will also increase to match the rising demand,” the officer added.
At present, the squad has 58 dogs trained in explosive detection, 3 tracker dogs, and 3 narcotics detection dogs. The squad is further composed of 16 German Shepherds, 9 Golden Retrievers, 22 Labradors, and 17 Belgian Malinois.
There are also plans to introduce additional categories, including Search and Rescue (SAR) Dogs and Combat Assault Dogs, the officer added. Delhi Police acquires its canine officers through two methods: purchasing trained dogs from the Indian Army’s Remount Veterinary Corps or acquiring puppies and training them. Ahead of the 2023 G20 Summit, the force procured 34 puppies and 13 trained dogs.
While the squad has lost 12 dogs due to retirement and natural causes, the police do not have a dedicated training center. Instead, dogs undergo training at institutions such as BSF Tekanpur, ITBP Panchkula, SSB Raini (Rajasthan), and CRPF Bangalore.