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New Bite in Fight Against Drugs

Tasmania Police has new bite in the fight against drugs, with the delivery of four puppies to be trained as super snouts.

The service will take delivery of the specially-bred Labradors from the Australian Customs Service, to train as drug detection dogs.

Minister for Police and Emergency Management, David Llewellyn, said the dogs will supplement the current capability of Tasmania Police in detecting dangerous or illegal substances.

The dogs named Hunter, Flicker, Ilka and Yuli are aged between 15 and 18 months.

"Together with four student dog handlers, they will be put through a rigorous six-week passive-alert detection course at the Tasmania Police Academy next month," Mr Llewellyn said.

"The four student dog handlers are currently being selected by Tasmania Police, and the successful applicants will demonstrate skills such as decisiveness, confidence, dedication and a strong background in general police work.

"At the end of the course, the two outstanding dogs will be kept by Tasmania Police to be deployed operationally to the north and south of the state, and the other two dogs will be returned to Australian Customs Service.

"Their future will either be as detection dogs for another jurisdiction, or they will be sold as very well-behaved pets."

Mr Llewellyn said Tasmania Police currently has an explosive detection dog unit that consists of two dogs.

“The additional two dogs will provide statewide explosive and drug detection capabilities,” he said.

“Trained dogs have proven very effective in detecting even small amounts of drugs.

“Tasmania Police will continue to utilise the intelligence-led policing model in relation to drug offences. 

"These dogs will be used in a range of areas, such as checking vessels arriving in Tasmania on a random basis, to act as a deterrent and also to support general operations of police.”

(5 February 2008)