(MENAFN- Gulf Times) Germany's federal police are increasingly being called out to check abandoned luggage
on railway platforms and elsewhere, with sniffer dogs often first on the scene. A positive
signal from the dog leads to instant action, although there are also false alarms
Waiting passengers check their phones on the station platform as a police exercise with a sniffer dog takes place in an area cordoned off with tape.
Uzzo, a male Belgian Shepherd, sniffs at a bin pointed out to him by handler Christina Hansen, then races off on the command to 'search.
Arriving at a suitcase abandoned by its owner, the three-year-old dog goes quiet, lying on the ground and looking directly at the item of luggage without barking or moving.
Then, the handler makes a clicking noise and he runs back to her to play with a toy offered as reward for sniffing out explosives and then displaying the correct behaviour.
This is a training exercise, but the 10 sniffer dog handlers attached to the police in the state of Saarland in south-west Germany are increasingly being called out to check suspicious items.
'We see deployments of that kind almost daily, says Hansen, a 28-year-old police sergeant.
People sometimes forget their luggage when they are in a hurry, and passers-by have become more aware of the threat of terrorist attacks.
'We're living at a time when attacks are taking place in Europe, and we're feeling the consequences, says German federal police spokesman Juergen Glaub.
Rail staff who would previously have taken abandoned luggage to the lost property office are now phoning the police instead.
'We absolutely welcome that. Rather a call too many than one too few. It's our job, after all, Glaub says, describing the police as 'the professionals.
The Belgian Shepherds are true professionals, too. They must undergo a 10-week training course, plus a further three months of on-the-job training, before becoming qualified as explosives sniffer dogs.
Many breeds have a good sense of smell, but more is required to be a specialist police dog, including a strong sense of play.
'The training only works if the dog's drive to play is so great that he will do anything to be allowed to play, Hansen says.
'Dogs are an important tool. They report back to us very quickly and reliably where danger lurks, Glaub says.
Once a dog has identified explosives, the area is cordoned off to prevent anyone approaching the suspicious item. Then specialists with X-ray equipment move in.
There are, of course, false alarms, as when the Saarland police special unit focused on a bag that turned out to contain soap.
'The dogs did everything right. They reacted to the glycerine in the soap, which can indeed be used to make explosives, Hansen says.
The dogs are trained to detect a range of other substances, so that they can track down firearms, ammunition and even clothing with gunshot residue.
'In general, the explosives sniffer dogs are able to detect all industrial, military and terrorist explosives, Glaub says. DPA
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