A sharp-eared, keen-eyed canine will soon be walking the beat in Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam.
Norad, a two-year-old German shepherd, has been deployed to the Coquitlam RCMP detachment after several months of training.
Norad's handler is Const. Sebastien Fortin, according to an RCMP press release.
The new police service dog is one of seven teams that graduated from police dog school in Alberta in one of the largest deployments ever in the Lower Mainland.
The new dog teams have been training hard for several months at the RCMP Police Dog Service Training Centre (PDSTC) in Innisfail, Alta., and, after having passed their final exams, are assigned to work in several communities throughout the Lower Mainland.
Police Service Dogs (PSD) and their human handlers train each year to master tracking, searching, obedience and apprehension. By the time they complete training, the dogs and their officers are sharp and keen to begin work.
Dog teams help officers track criminals
Having seven Police Service Dog teams arrive in the Lower Mainland is one of the most significant deployments in recent years,
stated Staff Sgt. Derek King, these teams will improve our ability to respond to calls requiring a police dog and greatly increase the level of service provided to the public.
The teams are part of the Lower Mainland Integrated Police Dog Service (IPDS) with partnerships across all RCMP detachments and municipal departments in New Westminster, Delta, West Vancouver, Port Moody and Abbotsford.
In an average year, the dog teams will respond to over 10,000 calls for service including finding missing people, helping persons in crisis, searching for evidence, as well as locating and apprehending criminal suspects.
Why are German shepherds used as police dogs?
German shepherds chosen for strength and courage
Among the reasons for choosing German shepherd dogs are their versatility, strength and courage.
As well, their heavy coats allow them to work in extreme weather, a necessity for policing in Canada.
Quick facts about RCMP police dogs:
- They can search a car in approximately three minutes.
- They can work up to four hours with rest intervals.
- The care for healthy police dogs cost less than $1,500 per year.
- They start their police training between the age of 14 to 18 months.
- They usually retire at seven or eight years old.
- Puppies born in RCMP dog breeding program have a 33 per cent to 40 per cent chance of becoming a working police dog or breeding female due to the high standards they need to meet.
