The Canine Unit provides canine support services for Raceland Police Department Patrol Units, Narcotic Task Force, Raceland-Worthington Schools, and other Police Departments upon request.

Canine Unit: (606) 727-5230

Function

The Canine Unit currently handles the following types of canines:

Narcotics Canines
Patrol Canines
Tracking Canines

Narcotic Detection

The Narcotic Detection Canines are trained to locate fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamines, MDMA, and heroin. The Patrol Canines are utilized to track, search buildings, search and apprehend criminals by biting when the situation is serious enough and no other means of apprehending the suspect are available.

The Canine Unit currently has canines that detect narcotics and are also utilized for patrol. All canines are certified for dual purposes.

Searches

Tracking

Tracking uses the dog's keen sense of smell to detect and follow human scent. The unit has deployed canines to track not only criminals who have fled the scene, but also missing elderly individuals as well as lost children.

Building Searches

Searches of commercial businesses are conducted a single canine team. The team consisting of one handler, his or her canine, and usually one back up officer. Using the dog's sense of smell and speed is a more tactically sound method of locating a suspect of suspects who are hiding inside a building. This practice minimizes the risk to officers and affords a suspect more incentive to surrender and the sound of a bark is often all it takes.

Criminal Apprehension

Criminal apprehension is used when an individual that is involved in committing a serious criminal act and is in process of actively resisting arrest; poses a threat to police officers or other persons if not immediately stopped, and cannot be stopped by any other lesser means. When a police canine is deployed for criminal apprehension, the dog is sent to bite and hold the individual until such time as they can be taken into custody.

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