Animal Talk Barbados Issue 3

WAGGING TAILS

Pawsitive Service To Barbados

Written By Roseanna Tudor

” I knew this was going to be a morning well spent as when I’m around animals, especially dogs, there is no second guessing what my demeanor will be like for the rest of the day… exhilarating.”

Had it not been for “Alfie”, the gun would probably not have been discovered. His partner Constable Kemar Jordan, though experienced and qualified to respond and investigate the scene that warranted a search, was extremely happy and fortunate that Alfie accompanied him that day. Once again, the Canine Branch of the Royal Barbados Police Force (RBPF) not only celebrated the fact that another gun was off the streets, but was also convinced that the work of the well-trained Cocker Spaniel and the other Service Dogs of the Branch; absolutely enhances the quality and protection of the people that they serve in Barbados.

Like many Barbadians I was unsure as to the exact nature of the work carried out by the dogs at RBPF Canine Branch. Most

of what the average person is aware of is the precision and dexterity of their training displayed at Police Tattoos and on special Occasions where their commanding presence helps keeps crowds under control when needed. However, having been exposed to the service and lifesaving skills that dogs provide to humans, especially persons with disabilities, I had to find out more about our local four-legged service providers.

Living on an island conjures up this idyllic setting of palm trees swaying and gentle waves rolling along the beach and the thought of any criminal activity seems remote. However, in the real world of which Barbados is a part of; protecting its citizens and visitors from the multitude of criminal elements in society, falls right into the hands and paws of the Royal

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Barbados Police Force. A pair of those trusting hands belong to Sergeant Jerry Moore, ably supported by his trusted partner with paws “Rem”, and before we ventured out to the kennels where the dogs were housed, I learnt a bit more about Sgt. Jerry Moore.

In 2001, when Sgt. Moore was asked if he would be interested in joining the Canine Unit, he had already had a love for dogs so it was not such a hard decision to make. To this day, Sgt. Moore admits that it has been his most favored post within the RBPF.

Speaking about “Rem”, his pride and joy, you would think he was speaking about his son. This close relationship with his dog was a pattern I soon discovered among Sgt. Moore’s other colleagues in the Unit. All of the dogs at the Canine Unit are “specialty dogs” comprising two breeds; German Shepherds and Spaniels, and their handlers I imagine are a special breed of human to these dogs.

The Spaniels being excellent sniffer dogs are trained to detect firearms and drugs as well as explosives. The German Shepherds are more of a hybrid, more commonly referred to as the attack dog. This is the type of dog that the public would most often see being used in public to control crowds or when faced with a search situation.

This Branch is a well organised and trained Unit where the entire team work together when presented with any given situation. The Spaniels that detect firearms or drugs are used mostly at the ports of entry into Barbados. However, they are also used on search warrants of residences and facilities where it is suspected that drugs and firearms may be present.

If a situation presented a likely altercation where for instance a potential criminal element is hiding in a field or building, and the Team has to search, apprehend and arrest a suspect, the Shepherds are the Unit’s partner of choice. Their ability to attack and their strength would be the required tools needed to bring down this type of threat. Sgt. Moore quickly pointed out that the Unit would typically use the non-lethal method of apprehending first, which are the dogs. Failing this and the situation warrants, they would then have to resort to other weapons they were trained to use.

In almost all the cases where drugs and ammunitions are discovered, the dogs are the important ‘tool’ used to discover the illegal items. This was the case just the day before my visit where the Unit scored a victory when “Alfie” was able to sniff and retrieve a gun that his human partner Constable Jordan would most likely have missed. This is why the entire Unit cannot underscore enough the importance of their ‘four legged partners’ and the fact that these dogs work equally or even harder than their human counterparts. With ages ranging from nine months to fourteen months, they each give no less than eight years service unless an illness is presented. Then the dog will retire early.

One other member of the Unit who is proud to be the first female pacesetter to work in the Canine Section since 1999 is Sgt. Donna Codrington. She has known the support and love of three dogs since being assigned to her current partner “Jako” who is dual trained; meaning he can work on general assignments as well as explosives and detection. Sgt. Codrington explained that like her colleagues she has full responsibility for the care of her dogs on a daily basis and develops a strong bond with them. Like her colleagues, Sgt. Codrington finds her job fulfilling and would like the public to be more aware of dogs as more than just “an alarm system” for their homes. Yes they are amazing at protecting and defending their owners, but they do have very strong emotional needs similar to those of their human counterparts.

Like Service Animals around the world, the dogs of the Canine Unit of the RBPF have a special relationship with their ‘User’ and each dog ‘belongs’ to that one person. The dogs are specially trained to work under-command from only their ‘User’, but the ‘User’ must learn to interact with all of the dogs, in case one of them happens to be off duty or for some other reason.

The untold stories of how these amazing dogs protect us are too many, and obviously classified to be included in this article. However, Rem, Jako and Alfie along with their team, have proven that their service to Barbados is far more than a “bark”.

The RBPF Canine Unit uses two types of dogs: Spaniels and German Shepherds. Contact the Canine Unit to learn more about these breeds and the work ISSUE they 3 | do. ANIMAL TALK | 9