Port Blair, Dec. 6: On 04/12/2023, Director General of Police of A&N Police, Sh. Devesh Chandra Srivastva, IPS, paid a visit to the A&N Police Dog Squad Unit in Austinabad. Upon the DGP's arrival, the Police Canines (K9s) presented a Guard of Honour. Subsequently, a demonstration was presented by the Police K9s, simulating a building collapse scenario to showcase their search and rescue capabilities. The K9s also exhibited their physical and mental efficiency by engaging in various obstacle and agility exercises.
Subsequently, Director General of Police, visited the Dog Kennels and Staff barracks, inspecting the designated area for the erection of agility equipment for K9s, and also reviewed the on-going projects at the Dog Squad. He also held interaction session with the personnel posted at Dog Squad and addressed their duty related issues.
The A&N Police Dog Squad Unit was established in the year 2002 and started functioning with 04 Sniffer Dogs. At present, 11 Dogs are available with A&N Police, which includes 03 Explosive Sniffer, 03 Narcotics Sniffer, 02 Tracker Dogs, and 03 Search and Rescue Dogs. These Sniffer Dogs have been trained at the National Training Centre for Dogs, BSF, Tekanpur, and ITBP, Panchkula, Haryana.
All these Dogs are being deployed along with respective Dog Handlers for various operational duties at the Airport, Sea Port, VIP Duties, National functions, and crime scenes in these Islands. Moreover, K9s are deployed with ANTF teams for the checking of Contrabands. Further, Search & Rescue dogs are trained to locate missing persons, disaster survivors, or individuals in distress in diverse environments, finding people who are lost in the wilderness or trapped in the rubble of a collapsed building, etc.
These K9s are accommodated in proper hygienic kennels with regular veterinary check-ups through Veterinary Hospitals to maintain the health and up-to-date vaccination of the dogs, as well as proper nutrition and hydration. The Police dogs are valuable assets that enhance the capabilities of law enforcement agencies across various operational domains. In the recent past, narcotic dogs on numerous occasions, detected narcotic substances at the Airport/seaport. Also the tracker dogs played a vital role in solving theft/burglary and cases of homicides.
In addition to the above, the dog squad contingent had taken part in the 77th Independence Day parade held at Netaji Stadium and Aviation Security Culture Week-2023 at VSI Airport. As police dogs play a vital role in law enforcement, contributing to various aspects of police work and provide unique capabilities that enhance the overall effectiveness of law enforcement agencies. Further A & N Police is in the process of procuring Four more Pups of Belgium Malinois breed for detection of Explosives and Narcotics, with the approval of A & N Administration. In addition, to enhance the physical and mental efficiency of the K9s, the erection of Agility works at the Dog Squad is in progress. Moreover, Isolation Kennels and a veterinary dispensary at the Dog Squad are on the verge of completion.
Impressed by their dedication and skills, the DGP directed steps towards modernizing the squad, aligning with the latest K9 standards. He also emphasized enhanced coordination with various agencies for optimal operational efficiency.