On this date in 1908 “Patrol Squad 1,” the first modern police Dogs unit, started work in New York City. 10 things you might not know about police dogs.
Police dogs are referred to as K9 officers. They are trained to be part of the police force and are considered full-fledged police officers.
Their duties can include searching for drugs or explosives, finding missing people or crime scene evidence, protecting officers and other people, and attacking suspects who flee from officers.
The breeds most commonly used by law enforcement are the German Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Bloodhound, Dutch Shepherd, and Labrador Retriever.
The first recorded use of police dogs was in the early 14th century in St. Malo, France, where they were used to protect the docks. In Scotland at about the same time, bloodhounds were used to track criminals. These animals were known as "Slough dogs", and this is the origin of the word “sleuth” meaning a detective.
An early instance of dogs working with police was in 19th century London. The then Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police of London, Sir Charles Warren had been criticised by the press for not following Scotland’s example and using bloodhounds to sniff out the elusive Jack the Ripper. He decided it was worth a try and had two bloodhounds trained and tested them out to see if they could track a killer from a murder scene. However, one of the dogs bit him and then they ran away, so it wasn’t a very successful experiment.
The German police had more success in the early 20th century with a more scientific approach. The German police selected the German Shepherd Dog as the ideal breed for police work and opened up the first dog training school in 1920 in Greenheide.
Before training a police dog, you first have to train a human being. A potential canine handler must first train as a police officer and then undergo specialist training to ensure they will train the dog to the best of its ability. The dog will begin its training at around 12-18 months of age. Many police dogs are bred for the role, but sometimes dogs from shelters are taken on. The dog must fist pass an obedience course as a police dog must obey the commands of its handler without hesitation.
It is a common myth that police dogs are trained to understand commands in a different language so that a suspect cannot command the dog against the officer. This isn’t the case. Dogs trained in Europe are usually given commands in the country's native language.
The working life of a police dog is 6–9 years.
Police dogs live out their lives after retirement as household pets, often in the home of their human working partner. In some places they even get a pension. In 2013, a pension scheme for police dogs in Nottinghamshire, England was introduced. The police force offered £805 over the span of three years to cover any additional medical costs incurred in caring for the dog.
Beta
(Combat Team Series #2)
Steff was abducted by an evil alien race, the Orbs, at fourteen. Used as a weapon for years, he eventually escapes, but his problems are just beginning. How does a man support himself when his only work experience is a paper round and using an Orb bio-integrated gun?
Warlord is an alien soldier who knows little but war. When the centuries-old conflict which ravaged his planet ends, he seeks out another world where his skills are still relevant. There are always wars on Earth, it seems. However, none of Earth's powerful armies want him.
Natalie has always wanted to visit England and sees a chance to do so while using her martial arts skills, but there are sacrifices she must make in order to fulfil her dream.
Maggie resorted to crime to fund her sister's medical care. She uses her genetic variant abilities to gain access to the rooms of wealthy hotel guests. The Ballards look like rich pickings, but they are not what they seem. When Maggie targets them, little does she know that she is walking into a trap.
Hotel owner Hamilton Lonsdale puts together a combat team to pit against those of other multi-millionaires. He recruits Warlord, Natalie, Maggie and Steff along with a trained gorilla, a probability-altering alien, a stockbroker whose work of art proved to be much more than he'd bargained for, a marketing officer who can create psionic forcefields, a teleporting member of the landed gentry, and a socially awkward fixer. This is Combat Team Beta.
Steff never talks about his time with the Orbs, until he finds a woman who lived through it, too. Steff believes he has finally found happiness, but it is destined to be short-lived. He is left with an unusual legacy which he and Team Beta struggle to comprehend; including why something out there seems determined to destroy it.
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