From
the nation's capital to the crossroads of rural America, the increased
threats of violence unsettles us all. Often times these threats
are carefully hidden from human detection, but thanks to ATF's Explosives
Detection Canines, they can still be found.
The ATF explosives
detection canine, a graduate of ATF's 10 week explosive detection
training program, has been conditioned to detect explosives, explosives
residue, and postblast evidence. As a bonus, because of their conditioning
to smokeless powder and other explosive fillers, ATF trained explosives
detection canines can detect firearms and ammunition hidden in containers
and vehicles, on persons and buried underground. With the assistance
of support systems such as the National Response Team, Explosives
Technology Branch, ATF Laboratories, Certified Explosives Specialists,
and the ATF Firearms Branch and Tracing Center, the ATF canine program
is producing a viable tool to assist law enforcement with their
war on violent crime.
NEW
CHALLENGES, NEW METHODS
While
there is a great need for explosives-detecting instruments, there
is also a great need for law enforcement agencies to have an explosives
-detecting canine capable of detecting explosives and firearms threats.
To support ATF's mission and that of other law enforcement agencies,
ATF applied knowledge gained from its long established accelerant
detection canine program and developed a scientifically based explosives
detection canine program that trains dogs capable of detecting a
myriad of different explosives compound.
ATF
trained and certified canines learn explosives odor recognition through
food and praise reward conditioning. This training methodology allows
for a canine to be repeatedly exposed to various explosives odors
daily, thus reinforcing these odors to the canine continually.
IN
THE U.S. AND AROUND THE WORLD
In
the early 1990's, ATF, the Connecticut State Police and the U.S Department
of State, Office of Antiterrorism Assistance initiated a program wherein
ATF would provide trained explosives detection canine teams to selected
foreign countries to assist them in their efforts to combat terrorism.
Thus far, ATF has certified over 290 canines and deployed them to
12 different countries, including Argentina, Australia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Chile, Egypt, Greece, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Malaysia and
Poland. Currently, ATF has eight ATF agent/handlers working with explosives
detection canines located throughout the United States. In the summer
of 1998, the ATF canine program also began offering this training
to other Federal, State, and local law enforcement agencies.
SAFETY
AWARENESS
As
a public service, ATF sponsors educational programs and training for
schools, civic groups, and other law enforcement agencies about explosives
and firearms, explosives and firearms detection, and other safety
issues. During many of these programs, a canine team will promote
community safety issues through prevention and detection demonstrations.
CERTIFICATION
As
the Federal Government explosives and postblast experts, ATF offers
certified explosives detection canine to other Federal, State, local
and foreign law enforcement agencies. ATF's uses a food and praise
reward training methodology that exposes canines to five basic explosives
groups, including chemical compounds used in more than 19,000 explosives
formulas. It is believed by ATF that exposing canines to various explosives
from the basic explosive families will give the dog the ability to
detect the widest range of commercial or improvised explosives possible
when working in the field. Successful detection of an explosive
or firearm earn the canine a food
and praise reward, which encourages repetition. To earn ATF certification,
all dogs must pass a blind test wherein they must successfully
detect 20 different explosives odors, two of which they were never
exposed to during training. The scientific methodology,
and the training and testing protocols are certified by the ATF National
Laboratory, and produce
an extremely versatile, mobile, and accurate explosives detection
tool.
Risks
from explosives have become more familiar in today's society, highlighting
the need for better prevention and detection measures. ATF's Explosives
Detection Canine Program is one key to nationwide safety.
ATF
began training Accelerant Detection Canines (ADCs) in 1986. These
specialty canines are trained to detect a variety of ignitable liquids
that could be used to initiate a fire. The Accelerant Detection Canine
Program (ADCP) is available to state and local law enforcement / fire
service agencies who meet various criteria and are willing to commit
to a 5-year memorandum of agreement. Handlers attend a 5-week training
course at the ATF Canine Training Center in Front Royal, Virginia,
then return to their respective departments to begin working operationally.
These teams are utilized by the ATF National Response Team on fire-related
callouts.
All
ATF ADC teams are recertified on a yearly basis. Currently, there
are approximately 50 canine teams across the country participating
in the ADCP.
For
further information on ATF's accelerant and explosives detection canine
program, contact:
Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco and Firearms
Canine Operations
Branch
650 Massachusetts
Ave., NW
Room 7100
Washington, DC
20226
(202) 927-8680