In light of the heightened risk of terrorism, more companies are turning to canine teams to detect explosives. At least 25 new companies offering canine services have been established since the September 11, 2001, attacks, and countless law enforcement agencies have added or expanded canine units since 9-11. The proliferation of canine services makes it more important than ever for security managers to understand the basics of the explosives-detection dog. 

Some of the issues security managers must consider include how canine services work, what types of canine teams are available, what sort of training canine teams undergo, how certification programs work, and what skills a good canine team must have. 

Canine basics.
The concept of using dogs to detect certain substances is quite old. It has long been known that dogs can be trained to recognize a particular odor. If a dog is taught to alter its behavior when certain odors denoting specific substances are found, a dog and its handler can be a formidable team. Dogs are more capable than any other detection 
system or method because they can accurately detect a wide variety of materials. No one really knows how sensitive a dog's nose is, but scientists note that a dog's sensitivity to odor is vastly greater than that of a human. 

But anyone choosing to use dogs in lieu of equipment must remember that they are, like humans, biological systems. They must eat, sleep, and rest. Canines are also affected by temperature and humidity. Their ability to handle a specific job may also be affected by the size and height of the area to be searched. Occasionally, dogs have bad days; an experienced handler will recognize when the dog is not performing to expectations. 

Security managers must also be aware that no matter how good the team is, some explosives may be undetectable. For example, "bottle bombs" are gas-pressure devices that are almost impossible to detect. The explosive uses some sort of substance--such as dry ice--that turns into a gas, building up pressure in the container and eventually exploding. In its inert state, it emits no odor detectable by a dog. There are also some obscure explosives combinations that the dogs cannot recognize because they have not been exposed to them. 

Another concern is booby traps, which are not unknown in high-profile searches. These can run the gamut from live electrical wires to bear traps to blood borne pathogens. Dogs and their handlers may be caught unaware and injured by these devices or materials because canines cannot detect them. Or the devices may remain undetected and undetonated at the site even after the search. 

Given these limitations, even though the team has swept an area, it may not be free from explosive devices. To help limit this exposure, trained security personnel should conduct a manual search as a backup. 

Teams.
There are two primary methods for using explosives-detection canines in security management. The first is having a full-time canine team for facilities with a high level of risk. The second is the employment of a response team for lower risk facilities. Both the private sector and law enforcement provide this service. 

Dedicated. There are many advantages to having dedicated full-time canine teams available. Dedicated teams will be familiar with the site, and the security manager will be familiar with the teams. Teams can be used proactively to screen deliveries, perform perimeter checks, evaluate abandoned packages, support dignitaries, and provide a high level of deterrence. However, the risk faced by most organizations does not justify the cost of having full-time, in-house canine units. 

Response. The second option is to use an outside service, either law enforcement or a company that specializes in canine explosives detection. Most security professionals rely on law enforcement teams that are dispatched as part of the response to a threat. This approach is normal, cost efficient, and meets most standards of care. But an organization should plan ahead to ensure the effectiveness of a local law enforcement response team. 

With that in mind, security directors who rely on law enforcement dogs should invite officers to train at the facility. The security director will have a chance to meet the officers and dogs while allowing the canine team to get to know the site. 

Ideally, security managers should set up a tour and then run a security or 
counterterrorism exercise. These exercises should never include items planted by security for the dog to find. Such training drills should only be conducted by canine handlers. However, law enforcement teams are usually pleased to help during security drills because they provide realistic experience for the dogs. And if there is ever an incident, the company benefits because the law enforcement team knows the company and its property. 

Companies that plan to rely on these canines in an emergency should also consider 
donating to the team. Most law enforcement teams from smaller jurisdictions are underfunded, and their resources are stretched even more now that they are being asked to add counterterrorism to their responsibilities. In most cases, companies funding these teams give around $1,000 annually. Companies can also become involved in specialty projects. For example, one company raised money to buy body armor for the dogs. 

Some corporate entities have even gone so far as to fund a law enforcement team from beginning to end. Security directors must understand, however, that they give the funding without any expectation that they will receive special treatment. A law enforcement team must serve the entire community. 

In one case, a defense contractor wanted a bomb dog that could be called in when needed. The company did not want to purchase its own team, and the local county government could not afford to establish a canine unit. The company funded the county's first bomb dog for around $10,000. But the company eventually had to contract with a private firm anyway, because the county's one bomb dog had to serve a large community and was not always available. 

Training.
Training is critical whether the dog will serve in law enforcement or a private capacity. Two major training issues pertain: whether a dog is cross-trained and how the training enhances the dog's capabilities. 

Cross-training. In the United States, most military and some law enforcement organizations employ dogs trained in both detection and patrol. This is known as "dual purpose" or "cross training" and is a cost-savings measure. If supported by an experienced training regimen, it is effective. 

Because of potential liability and concerns about proficiency, however, dual-purpose dogs are rare in the private sector. One school of thought says that a cross-trained patrol dog is actually less likely to bite. But many of those who operate dog units have already gone to, or are in the process of going to, single-purpose dogs because they are believed to be more focused and less likely to bite. It is because of this perception that the liability exposure for dual-purpose dogs is still high. 

One fairly recent type of cross-training mixes odors such as alcohol, drugs, and explosives in the dog's training. In some cases, the dog is expected to offer different responses to different scents. However, such cost cutting is considered to be reckless by most professionals. It is unreliable, requires the dog to recognize too many base odors, and creates confusion in response to alerts. This type of dog is called a contraband detection dog and was originally designed to be employed in schools. The concept has now migrated to other venues. 

Capabilities. When selecting a company, one consideration is how teams have been trained. By asking a few basic questions, a security director can assess the training. 

Security directors should first ask what weight range the team trains on. This issue is important, because the way scent behaves differs depending on the amount of substance present. It is almost guaranteed that a dog that trains on ounces will miss pounds. Likewise, a dog that trains on a few pounds may miss a larger device, such as an explosives-laden vehicle. 

Some canine companies train dogs on both small and large amounts of substances. However, many dogs are expected to meet only certain threats, such as large amounts of drugs, and are trained accordingly. 

Security directors should also ask how often scent materials are rotated. This question is critical, because the longer a particular substance is handled, the more it will start to smell like its container, the handler, or the dog. 

A simple way to evaluate this issue is to ask what people do with their old explosives. Typically, the only lawful ways to dispose of explosives for the private sector are to turn them over to law enforcement, contract with a hazardous materials disposal firm, or blow them up in training. Any of these methods are verifiable with minimum investigation. 

Asking about the experience and expertise of the people responsible for training and management is also important. Security managers should dig into the team's methods and should not hesitate to ask questions. Managers should witness a training session and ask for verification of credentials. 

In addition, managers should be cautious of staged demonstrations. Security managers should be allowed to place the substance without the handler's foreknowledge of the location. This approach keeps the evaluation process as objective as possible. 

Also critical is how many different compounds a dog is trained to recognize. Worldwide, there are about 19,000 odors associated with explosives. Most of these odors fit into five general families of nitrate compounds and acid salts. Additionally, there are chlorates, peroxides, acids, and other obscure products. 

A key assumption in canine training is that if a dog is trained in sample chemicals representing these families, the dog will indicate the presence of similar compounds. This statement is generally true, but the principle is not reliable in all circumstances. For instance, experience has shown that if a dog is trained on explosive "X," and he is also trained on explosive "Y," the dog may or may not indicate a mix of the two explosives. This mixed explosive "Z" should be treated as a new compound or a variant of the parent chemicals. 

Similarly, a dog that is trained on smokeless powder "A" should, but may not, alert on smokeless powder "B." The more variation in exposure to compounds that the team has in training, the more probable it is that a dog will recognize the family of substances during a real emergency. 

Security managers must also recognize that the number of odors present in a list of items for which the team is trained is not nearly as relevant as understanding what the list means. True understanding of what the dog can detect is directly tied to the trainer's understanding of what compounds actually are composed of. For instance, nitroglycerin is present in smokeless powders and some dynamites. RDX is present in A-5, C-4, Composition B, SEMTEX, and other explosives. Ammonium nitrate is present in binary explosives, ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO), watergels, and emulsions. A quality trainer will be able to provide a security manager with highly detailed information as to the true meaning of any list. 

Certification.
Numerous certification programs exist, and they differ dramatically. When security managers are examining government or law enforcement certifications, it is important to remember that many certifications are designed to focus on the mission of the particular agency. For instance, a dog working for a certain government agency may spend more training time on slow, methodical searches for the small amounts of explosives typically found at crime scenes rather than on short and fast searches that are required for explosive-laden delivery vehicle screening. 

There is no overarching federal authority that governs the certification of detection dogs. Certification may be granted by a government agency, a private group, or a nonprofit organization. The certifying group is not as important as the security manager's confidence in the certification. 

Certifications are granted based on a specific dog's ability to find the desired material. With that in mind, security managers should witness the certification of a canine. Although it is rarely necessary to view all of the canine certifications for a specific team, the security director should be aware of how the certification is carried out for the canine team he or she will be relying on. If practicable, the security director should request that the certification be conducted using the company's own materials or, with a few guidelines, that the security manager place the material. 

Choosing a team. 
Which team is selected will depend on the issues already addressed as well as on the overall professionalism of the group. The teams should be professional, alert, and courteous at all times and must maintain a confident demeanor. 

Another consideration is whether the canine detection team knows how to operate visibly and project a security presence. That's important because a person who is planning to place an explosive device may cancel the plan or pick another target if he or she finds out about the canine team's activities. Teams should not follow a set routine, as randomness will further confound a bomber's planning. 

Also important are the company's business practices, such as insurance coverage. Canine companies should have workers' compensation and liability insurance. Some companies don't insure the canines, they just insure the handlers. That could result in a claim being denied if, for example, the dog bites someone on site. This may also apply to off-duty law enforcement teams, even in their normal jurisdiction. Furthermore, if a firm is using subcontractor labor to skirt labor and tax laws, the subcontractor handler may not be covered under the firm's insurance. 

Helping the team.
When the canine detection unit is called in during an emergency, the security manager should consider what the company's security team can do to facilitate the canine search. For example, the company's officers can ensure that the perimeter is secure, that access is being monitored, and that the canine handler is informed about any chemicals legally stored on the site. 

Just as important, security managers should know what will not be helpful in an emergency. Managers must be patient. A typical two-story office building will take a few hours to completely sweep. A canine can only work for a certain period of time before it needs to rest, and a good search is not as fast as some people think. Before an emergency arises, managers must prioritize which areas they would like searched. 

Full confidence in the capabilities of a canine explosives-detection team can only be acquired by spending time researching the provider and getting to know the team. Security managers who take the time to do that groundwork will have laid the foundation for a reliable search should the company need to go to the dogs in a crisis. 

Edward J. Seuter is the president of Explosive Countermeasures International, Inc., in 
Marshall, Virginia. He is a member of ASIS International, the International Association 
of Bomb Technicians and Investigators, and the International Society of Explosives 
Engineers.

© 2003 Edward J. Seuter