This issue marks our five-year anniversary of publishing Police K-9 Magazine. Once again, I want to take a moment to thank all of you. This magazine would not exist without all of the great support we’ve received from our readers and advertisers.
Roll Call
Five Years of Serving K-9 Law Enforcement
Learning What Defines Success
Recently a police administrator called me to get some information to help start up his department’s first K-9 unit. One of his questions was, “What is the best personality type for a dog handler?” I explained that we look at the team — the handler and the dog together — and try to match the two in order to produce the best results on the street. I do not think you can describe a single personality type that is best suited for our profession. However, after that call, I have given this subject more thought.
Choose the Right Trainer
Budgets are tight everywhere. Now, more than ever, it is important to make good use of your training budget. One of the primary considerations when you select a seminar should be the instructor(s). I look for several things that I consider very important in an instructor.
First, obviously, what is his or her background? Has the instructor ever performed what he or she will be teaching in actual deployments? In other words, is the person a great dog trainer but is now teaching police tactics without ever actually having been in those situations? I believe there is no substitute for real-world experience when it comes to subjects that involve decision-making under stress. As you look into the trainer’s background, is it credible? Does the résumé seem too good to be true? Then it most likely is.
