SPD to discontinue training of Police Service Dogs in marijuana detection

Now that recreational marijuana is legal in Missouri, the Springfield Police Department is no longer training its police service dogs to detect marijuana. Additionally, one dog trained to detect the drug will be retired from the department soon.

The Springfield Police Department operates a Police Service Dog program, which trains both single-purpose and dual-purpose dogs. Single-purpose service dogs are only used for drug detection and dual-purpose dogs are used for drug detection, searching and tracking.

The department's service dogs, as of Friday, included Hank, Ivan, Dutch, Pako, Ronin and Fox. Soon, Hank will retire and be replaced by one newly acquired dog, Max, according to Police Chief Paul Williams. The department is currently looking for one more new dog to acquire, who would eventually replace Pako.

Once both Hank and Pako are retired, Ivan will be the only service dog with the department trained in detecting marijuana.

Following the addition of Amendment 3 to the Missouri Constitution in December 2022, the department will no longer train service dogs to detect marijuana, although they still can be used to detect other drugs such as heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine.

The Springfield Police Department either acquires untrained dogs from Tarheel Canine Training Inc. in Sanford, North Carolina or receives donated dogs, Williams said. Max will be the only donated dog in the program.

After acquisition, the department provides in-house training to both the dog and its handler. All Police Service Dogs and handlers are tested and certified by the National Police Canine Association. The association offers a variety of different Scent Detection Certifications, including certifications in narcotics, explosives, wildlife, aircrafts, contraband, guns and currency. The Springfield Police Department only certifies its dogs in narcotics.

For the Narcotic Certification administered by the National Police Canine Association, a K-9 Team, including a dog and a handler, must successfully participate in three indoor room and four vehicle searches. Each search is timed, with K-9 teams having 10 minutes for indoor searches and eight minutes for vehicle searches, according to the 2022-2023 National Police Canine Association Rule Book. Spread over the five total search areas, four "finds" will be hidden. A K-9 Team must locate at least three of the four "finds" to pass and receive the Narcotic Certification.

The Springfield Police Department's Police Service Dog handlers also complete the National Police Canine Association's Patrol Certification, which requires a K-9 Team to successfully complete at least four of five assigned tasks in obedience, a building search, an area search, criminal apprehension and a courage test.

To pass the obedience test, a dog must be able to demonstrate proper heeling (moving right alongside its handler) and control when distanced from its handler and under gunfire. For the search events, a K-9 Team must successfully navigate search scenarios with the ultimate identification of hidden decoys.

The criminal apprehension test must be passed in order to receive a Patrol Certification. This test documents how a K-9 Team works together in the presence of a fleeing subject. Lastly, the courage test documents how a dog reacts when a fleeing suspect attempting to scare it away with a stick.

The Greene County Sheriff's Office also manages five dual-purpose Police Service Dogs: Zen, Rocky, Zeke, Loki and Drax, according to the Greene County Sheriff's Office website. The News-Leader contacted the Greene County Sheriff's Office for further information about its Police Service Dog program but was unsuccessful in obtaining a response by press deadline.

Missourians legalized recreational marijuana in November 2022. Under the law, Missouri residents who are 21 and older are able to possess up to three ounces of dried, unprocessed marijuana.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: SPD discontinues training of marijuana detection for its service dogs