K-9 Unit

CANINE UNIT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Officers must have completed Field Training in a satisfactory manner and served in the patrol division for one month prior to applying for the canine unit.

The application process will progress as follows:

1.  Notification of interest in specialty unit to a supervisor

2.  Brief oral interview

3.  Additional field training period to ensure comprehension of policies and procedures of the K9 unit 

CASE LAW

Understanding the following U.S. Supreme Court rulings is vital to the operational goals of the SASP. Our policy in the FiveM universe may be altered to simplify these rulings and reflect the rules and laws of the server. 

Rodriguez v. US, 13-9972 (SCOTUS 2015)-The Court ruled that a traffic stop, absent reasonable suspicion or consent, cannot be extended even for a few minutes after the conclusion of a traffic stop in order to conduct a K-9 sniff of the vehicle. In this case the driver was stopped and issued a warning. He was then asked for permission to remain so the officer can conduct a K-9 sniff. The driver refused. The officer detained the driver anyway until another officer arrived. The officer conducted the K-9 sniff approx. 8 minutes after the stop was concluded. Drugs were found in the vehicle after the K-9 alerted. The driver was arrested. The Court held that the detention beyond the length of the traffic stop was an unreasonable seizure in violation of the Constitution.

Illinois v. Caballes, 000 U.S. 03-923 (2005)-A drug dog can be used to sniff a vehicle for contraband on any traffic stop, if:

The vehicle is lawfully stopped.

The sniff occurs within the duration of time necessary to reasonably conduct the stop. (A "reasonable" traffic stop should conclude within 10-20 minutes.)

The officer is not required to have any facts of a drug violation prior to the sniff occurring.

United States v. Race, 529 F.2d 12 (5th Cir. 1976)-The indication of drugs after a sniff from a well trained drug detection police dog is sufficient to establish probable cause.

United States v. Thomas, 757 F.2d 1359 (2nd Cir 1985)-The use of a canine to detect odors emanating from an apartment while at a lawful place outside the apartment is still a search requiring probable cause and a warrant. The court emphasized that a person has a higher expectation of privacy in his dwelling than in objects transported through public places (vehicles, baggage, boxes, etc).

Robinette v. Barnes, 854 F.2d 909, 912 (6th Cir. 1988)-Held: The use of a properly trained police dog to apprehend a felony suspect does not carry with it a ‘substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily harm’.

Matthews v. Jones, 35 F.3d 1046, 1051 (6th Cir. 1994)-The court found that there was no excessive force where the record was clear that the officer warned plaintiff, a fleeing misdemeanant, several times before releasing the police dog to apprehend him.

Merrett v. Moore, 58 F.3d 1547 (11 Cir. 1995)-Canines can be used to sniff vehicles at a license and registration check roadblock as long as their use does not unreasonably delay the motorists.

United States v Guzman, 75 F. 3d 1090 (6th Cir. 1996)-If a dog shows only interest, but does not alert, this does not constitute probable cause. 

The handler's awareness in the interest can be used in conjunction with the totality of other facts to establish probable cause.

OPEN AIR SNIFF (VEHICLE)

The SASP K9 unit can detect and locate controlled dangerous substances by scent discrimination

to include:

 a. marijuana or hashish

b. cocaine or crack 

c. PCP

d. lean

e. heroin

f. methamphetamine 

Please recognize that most if not all of the persons and vehicles you encounter will contain copious amounts of narcotics. Your discretion is still king when handling these interactions, but utilizing common sense will make life easier for you and promote a healthy RP environment with our civilian population. Should a vehicle contain an insignificant amount of narcotics, it may be wise to disengage and allow them to continue on their way with the understanding that we won't win every interaction we have. 

SEARCH AND APPREHENSION

Deploying a K9 off lead to search for or apprehend a subject is considered a use of force and must be reasonable and consistent with the SVPD’s Use of Force policy. SVPD K9s may be used as an application of force to:

• Assist in the arrest or prevent the escape of serious or violent subjects;

• Conduct building or area searches for what are reasonably believed to be serious or violent subjects;

• To overcome violent or assaultive behavior or its threat, if the trooper reasonably believes that the subject poses an articulable threat of harm to troopers or others and that a lesser degree of force would be insufficient or impractical;

• To control a subject to prevent him or her from harming themselves or others, if a lesser degree of force would be insufficient or impractical.

Verbal warnings shall be issued prior to the deployment of the K9 unless circumstances exist that make such warnings impractical or unsafe. Troopers will also consider the potential risk of a K9 deployment to other troopers or uninvolved subjects prior to deployment. 

K-9 TRAINING

1. New handlers and dogs will undergo initial training prior to being certified for active duty. Each team will obtain an independent certification by an organization recognized in patrol, narcotics, and/or bomb detection use prior to active duty.

2. Each K9 team will engage in regular maintenance training and periodic re-certification as necessary.

3. The K9 supervisor is responsible for ensuring that each K9 team receives adequate training and maintains appropriate certification.