Dogs have been deemed man’s best friend. People own dogs for various reasons. Some keep them to deter thieves, while others walk them daily to lower their blood pressure and cholesterol. Dogs also provide companionship. However, countries around the world have been using dogs to combat crime.
K-9s are dogs specifically trained to assist members of law enforcement. Dogs are very good at picking up scent. According to a CNN news article, the article states that dogs have 220 million olfactory receptors compared with humans 50 million, which makes canines extremely effective at differentiating and identifying odours. Olfactory receptors are small nerve endings located inside your nostrils that allows you to smell.
In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we have been experiencing an increase of criminal activities. Some of these criminal activities are linked to the illegal drug trade and an increase in guns on the streets, causing the homicide rates to rise and break records year after year. In recent years, people have vanished, and to this day, their whereabouts remain unknown, leaving their families frustrated, and desperate for answers.
In 2011, a young lady, Shanika Small, a resident of the dauphine area went missing and the perpetrator or perpetrators were never caught. The murder of Glenn Jackson is still a mystery. Glenn Jackson’s body was found in his vehicle in close proximity from his residence in 2006. Could K-9s have assisted in solving these cases for the families and friends of Shanika Small and Glenn Jackson?
Terrorism is rampant across the globe and terrorists’ favourite toys are “bombs”. St. Vincent and the Grenadines is not immune to terrorism. K-9s can also be used to alleviate money laundering. In 2023, an Italian police dog name Elio had thwarted a cash smuggling attempt by sniffing out over £1,075,600 (€925,000) stashed in two suitcases while on patrol at a bus station near Florence.
Sometimes prisoners might escape from prison, and it takes a long time for the police to apprehend them. These fugitives can be a menace to society. Evidence is needed to convict criminals, without evidence, criminals would continue to walk the streets free like a bird. K-9s can help solve all these problems because of their ability to smell and detect stuff with their nose.
Some police men might be overweight and not have the ability to run to capture criminals. Using K-9s on patrol would lead to the capture of them. According to a Fox news article, the article states that a home invasion suspect was tracked down a mile by a police K-9 in Illinois after allegedly breaking into a woman’s home and beating her.
In my opinion, with adequate training in the police force about K-9s and resources being allocated, these dogs can play a vital role in reducing crime and helping close cold cases. The two most popular K-9s used are the German shepherd and the bloodhound, due to their superior tracking abilities.