Newest member of the Red Deer RMCP Police Dog Services Unit Nyak with Corporal Terence Dunphy on Wednesday at the local downtown detachment. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

By Alessia Proietti

Nyak and pups in training

Red Deer RCMP welcome new police dog trained in detecting explosives

Dec 14, 2022 | 12:57 PM

The Red Deer RCMP recently welcomed a new member, Nyack, to their Police Dog Services Unit.

On Wednesday, the two-year-old German Shepherd ran around the downtown detachment, over chairs and under tables, completing search exercises to show off his skills with his handler, Corporal Terence Dunphy.

As one of just four dogs in Alberta trained in detecting explosives, Nyack has also been trained in the obedience profile and officially started his position on October 27.

Constable Tim Stevens from Sundre RCMP and Constable Danielle Lohmann from Blackfalds RCMP also introduced their newest respective police-dogs-in-training, two German Shepherd pups named Rocky and Rebel.

Constable Danielle Lohmann from Blackfalds RCMP with her police-dog-in-training Rocky on Wednesday. (RdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

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Dunphy shared that all police dogs in Canada begin their life in Innisfail. He says while they used to purchase their dogs, their cost increased drastically following 9/11 due to demand. Their own breeding program kicking off, they supplemented their remaining need with European dogs until becoming self-sustaining 10 years ago.

Dunphy says they even have dogs leftover for other organizations in need. With the biggest program in Sweden, breeding 300 police and military dogs per year, he says the Canadian RCMP breeds 110 dogs annually.

Having 18 broods, volunteer citizens raise the dogs until some of the females can be artificially inseminated for future breeding. Other dogs with desired characteristics are shipped across Canada to officers wanting to be handlers for 12 months, frequently testing the dogs to ensure they are the right fit for the job.

Living in their homes, Constable Tim Reid says the dogs become part of the family. However, the risk of injury for the animal is something unique to these particular dog owners. Reid experienced this first-hand when his dog Kitzel was severely stabbed during an operation in Sylvan Lake this September.

READ: UPDATE: One arrest following Sylvan Lake police incident

“We love these animals; we care for them. I spend more time with him than my wife and kids. He’s never not beside me,” he said. “For the first time, my wife and kids had to see just how dangerous the job can be at times.”

Reid said Kitzel, who also made an appearance, is doing much better and is officially back on the job as his partner.

Constable Tim Reid with police service dog Kitzel who has made a full recovery from an injury on the job. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

“It’s becoming more violent I think for police officers in general. Over the past five or six years, there’s a trend,” said Dunphy. “Our dogs are a branch off of that.”

“We love our dogs but we also know that they have a job to do and if, god forbid, I have to sacrifice that dog because it’s going to help a human stay safe or live, then we might have to make that decision.”

If they are not the right fit for the job, Dunphy says the dogs can become police dogs for other countries or part of search and rescue teams like on ski hills for avalanches. He says around 75 per cent of all dogs in Innisfail end up being fit to work in one of these segments, including the RCMP. The other options for the dogs include breeding or being sold to citizens currently on a waitlist.

The RCMP says characteristics they look for in a dog are confidence, willingness to work and fearlessness. For example, while most dogs would be afraid of reflective wax flooring, police dogs are trained to keep their nose close to the ground to track scents. Dunphy says German Shepherds are the most well-rounded breeds for the job.

A full profile dog will be trained in agility, obedience and criminal apprehension as well as one area of specialization such as explosives, narcotics, firearms and human remains. To track live humans, they search for objects, as small as pieces of leather or skin cells, and lie down with the objects between their paws once found. They also follow scents like deodorant and footsteps.

Dunphy says once a piece of equipment like a harness is placed on the dog, they know they are supposed to begin looking while the officer is meant to keep track of the areas covered.

He says the careers of police dogs typically last around eight years.

“If the dog works hard for you and is now eight years old, you might be running on borrowed time and I want that dog to enjoy his retirement,” he said.