How effective is a police tracking dog ?

 

1. Tracking dog is used for detection of crime which is committed by unknown person

2. Explosive and mine identification 

3. Detection of human waste materials

4. Search and rescue missions 

5. Locating drugs

6. Finding dead body

7. Distinguishing between different forms of narcotics 

8. To disperse crowd in Australia 

Success rate of dog squad 

1. Age

2. Sex (male dogs are more effective in determining a trail than a female dogs)

3. The personality of dog

4. Its repo with dig handler

5. After the incident, the dog squad should be pressed into service as soon as possible. Delay will reduced success rate

6. If after the incident, it rained in and around the scene of crime then dog squad become not so effective in tracking  the culprit

7. If a big river or rivulet come in between the tracking route, dog squad fails to track further and fails to achieve the target

How does the dog track?

1. It is believed that the feet secrete more scent from an individual. These scent spread into air and also on ground 

2. The footprint left by suspect on vegetation, mud, soil get scent left by the suspect

3. The tracks scent often a mixture of both the air scent and the ground scent being left by the suspect

4. Dogs are able to determine a track scent by identifying the a combination of human odour and environmental odours released by an individual

What are popular police dog breeds?

1. German shepherd

2. Bloodhounds 

3. Belgian malinois 

4. Labrador

5. Doberman

6. Beagle

Training

1. Dog handler has to undergo required police training for 1 to 2 years and thereafter he is trained for dog handling

2. A dog is trained for more than 1 year

3. A dog must pass basic obedience training course before he can be consider for police department

4. After experience and achievement police dog is also ranked

Evidentiary value of dog tracking 

1. Dog tracking of a criminal is relevant fact under section 8 of evidence act

2.  But it is weak evidence and to get the culprit punished, there must be supportive evidence to prove the guilt beyond reasonable doubt

Conclusion

1. It has been found that tracking by dog has success rate of more than 70% provided that it should be used immediately after the incident.