Training about quantity, quality

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Agneta Murnan
  • 71st Flying Training Wing
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Teams of working police dogs and handlers set out one at a time to perform a complex and subtle dance of intellect and instinct, despite wind speeds up to 31 knots or almost 36 miles per hour. In a controlled area of Vance Air Force Base, five quantities of explosives were planted in an area the size of a football field. Despite the high winds, the teams were challenged to find the hidden items within 20 minutes.

"It's daunting for them. This is where we separate pets from working dogs," National Police Canine Association instructors Paul Koinig and Ray Ruby said.

Vance Air Force Base and the city of Enid, Okla., were the choice locations for the many seminars, exercises and competitions in the NPCA's 2007 National Police Training Seminar and Competition Oct. 15-19.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan Hein, military working dog handler of the 71st Security Forces Squadron, explained that some of the advantages of including a military base in the training were the challenges of working with larger available quantities of narcotics and more difficult conditions with the explosives.

"Normally, teams train with very small amounts of narcotics. When the dogs are exposed to large amounts, their senses become overloaded, and they can no longer discern greater amounts," Sergeant Hein said.

On the other hand, training with the high winds and smaller quantities of explosives, "the scent cone was reduced to less than half an inch in diameter. With normal wind speeds, one can get a good 2-foot scent cone," Sergeant Hein said. 

Tad Valdez, explosives officer from the Harris County Constable's office in Texas attends the seminar every year with the unit's 7-year-old Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Charlie.

"You have to let the dog do the work. We've done a lot of competitions, and this week has been one of the best," he said.

At the end of each search, regardless of the challenges and yields, the dogs are guided to a last find to end on a positive note.

"The week went well," said Kennel Master Staff Sgt. Matthew Bowling, of the 71st Security Forces Squadron. "It was very informative and everything went very smoothly. We made a lot of contacts."

"I am extremely pleased with how we progressed through the week. Many of the weaker dogs stepped up to the plate and improved. The handlers know what homework they need to do so they can progress with the knowledge we passed on to them," Mr. Koinig said.