(SYKESVILLE, MD) – The Maryland State Police will graduate four unique K-9 teams specifically trained to detect explosives carried by a person, making it the first state police agency in the country to have teams with this type of ability.
The four teams of Labrador Retrievers and their Maryland state trooper handlers have undergone 12 weeks of intense training, developing their ability for odor detection related to explosives. These teams are not only trained to search and find explosives hidden in a building, a vehicle, or under a park bench, but they are able to detect and alert to the scent of an explosive agent carried by a person. The importance of this detection ability is obvious, especially as it relates to Maryland’s homeland security efforts.
This initiative was made possible through a partnership with the US Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate (DHS S&T) and their Explosives Detection Canine Program. The Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, under contract from DHS S&T, assisted in managing the program and will continue to track the success of this new initiative.
In addition to the graduation ceremony, a special demonstration will be conducted to exhibit a K-9 team detecting explosives carried by a person. Experts will be available to discuss this importance of this capability in today’s world.
WHAT: GRADUATION AND DEMONSTRATION OF NEW PERSON-BORNE EXPLOSIVE DETECTION DOGS
WHEN: FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2014 10:00 A.M.
WHERE: MARYLAND STATE POLICE ACADEMY
MPTC SYKESVILLE TRAINING FACILITY
6852 4TH St.
SYKESVILLE, MD
Directions @ https://www.dpscs.state.md.us/aboutdpscs/pct/directions.shtml
