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Patrol Duty - Area Search
(PD-AS)
The K-9 will master the ability to search, locate, alert to and/or apprehend a suspect outside in fields or woods by utilizing the K-9's olfactory and hearing senses. The K-9 must be under the control of the handler and work in coordination with the handler. Further, the handler must be able to recognize the K-9's alert. The K-9 Team must document 40 hours of study, training, and practice, or the equivalency prior to evaluation. The completion of this requirement shall be verified and shall bear the signature of the Training Director. The Training Director has the sole discretion to modify this requirement based on a K-9 Team's previous documented history.
The evaluation shall be judged by an Service Dog Association (SDA) certified judge. Each K-9 Team must present an SDA score book prior to the evaluation. The judge shall verify identity of each dog/handler team at the time of the evaluation.
The evaluation shall take place under conditions and on grounds approved by the judge. The PD-AS examination area should be approximately 5 acres. Various types of terrain should be present in the examination area and may utilized as part of the examination, The judge shall direct the handler while evaluating the team's performance. The judge shall give each team a critique and score after completion of their testing.
1.) SEARCH: The handler will demonstrate the K-9's ability to search the area, with active interest. The K-9 must locate the hidden suspect in the approximately five (5) acre area within ten (10) minutes per acre covered.
2.) ALERT: The handler will demonstrate an obvious physical or vocal alert by his K-9 upon locating the suspect and the handler must demonstrate his ability to recognize the alert of his K-9.
3.) HANDLER CONTROL: The handler must demonstrate his/her ability to have control of the K-9 at all times during the area search.
4.) APPREHENSION: Upon finding the suspect the K-9 must apprehend the suspect. The suspect will continue to struggle with the K-9 until the suspect is told by the handler to "freeze up".
The handler moves to a position approxmately 5 yards (15 feet) from where the K-9 has appredended the suspect. The suspect will continue to struggle with the K-9 until the suspect is told by the handler to "freeze up".
Upon command, the K-9 will release and, at the handler's option, the K-9 can return to the handler' side about 5 yards (15 feet) from the apprehended suspect. With the handler and K-9 now a short distance from the suspect, the handler will then command the K-9 into a sit or down guarding position. - or - upon the release the K-9 can stay with apprehended suspect until the handler walks up to the K-9's side. Standing next to his K-9, the handler tells the suspect to take several steps back, approxmately 5 yards (15 feet). The handler will then command his K-9 into a sit or down guarding position.
The K-9 must remain in that guarding position during the handler's search of the suspect. The excercise ends with the handler returning to his K-9 and heeling the K-9 away.
The K-9 Dog/Handler Team that successfully demonstrates their ability to pass each segment of the evaluation shall be awarded the SDA, 'Patrol Duty - Area Search', or PD-AS title.
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