Unsung heroes: Zim Canine Training School

chief has said.
The dog section is usually called in to perform tasks that ordinary police officers would have failed to do.
In an interview on the sidelines of the pass out parade of 18 dog handlers and their dogs in Harare yesterday, Commissioner Oliver Chibage said the section was a special one that deserves respect in the police force and society.
He said the section was an integral part of the police whose contribution was indispensable in the operations of the police.
“This section actually constitutes unsung heroes in the police force because they perform tasks that ordinary police officers fail to do. The section is little known and is not much talked about although it is very valuable,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s Canine Training School in Harare is one of the best training institutions in the region and it trains handlers and dogs on behalf of other police forces in the region.
Recently, officers from Swaziland and their dogs graduated after completing a rigorous training course in Harare.
Police have two categories of dogs – patrol and drug sniffer dogs – that perform various tasks making the work easier for the police.
Patrol dogs that are mainly German Shepherds and Rottweilers, are the most intelligent dogs that track criminals, search human beings and property.
They also manage the crowds and play a pivotal role in crime prevention.
The dogs are also useful in displays, thereby providing entertainment at various functions.
Drug sniffer dogs are mainly the Golden Retrieval that is useful in detecting drugs at roadblocks, airports and other ports of entry.
At scenes of crime, dogs are useful in tracking the offender through scent provided the case is immediately reported and police arrive before many people have thronged the scene of the crime.
The rigorous dog-handling course creates a lifetime bond between the dog and the handler to an extent that the dog rests when the master goes on leave or falls sick.
Dogs do not change handlers and when the handler retires the dog ceases to perform police duties.
The dogs get special diets consisting of a kilogramme of pet food, 500ml fresh milk every morning, 250g of dog meal and lots of fresh water daily per dog.
Pet food (meat) is bought from abattoirs at US$1 per kg while dog meal costs US$0,50c per kg.
Milk costs about US$2 per litre.
Like any other animals, police dogs face health challenges but ZRP has a strong veterinary department headed by a professional vet doctor, which constantly looks after the animals.
“The dogs get special treatment and they are regularly inspected just like all police camps.
“We have a vibrant internal veterinary department that takes care of the dogs’ health challenges,” said Comm Chibage.
Cases of the dogs being attacked by criminals during operations are minimal due to the courses that form part of training.
“Currently we are not having such challenges but long back we had experiences when some dogs were stabbed.
“When this happens we immediately set up a board to find ways of preventing such incidents.
“As part of the rigorous training, there is a course on managing gun attacks. But normally dogs are fast moving objects and it is rare for one to positively shoot at a dog that is charging towards him or her,” said Comm Chibage.
The dogs have names and unlike in other forces, they do not have ranks.
The life span of a police dog is eight years and training starts at eight weeks from birth.
At eight years, the dogs will be experiencing health problems due to old age and they are allocated to individual civilians with the capacity of looking after them very well.
For homes, the eight-year-old dogs will still be very useful.
It is only that they will no longer be fit for police duties.
The police inspect the place the old dogs will be going before releasing them.
The 18 graduands – six of whom specialised on patrol dogs and 12 on sniffer dogs – were selected from various provinces throughout the country.
Two women were part of the graduands, bringing to 15 the total number of female dog handlers countrywide.
Dog handling used to be a profession for men, but police are striving for gender balance and women empowerment in the profession.
There are 20 dog section stations countrywide.