The South African Police Service’s Constables Fernando Trollip and Sinethemba Soyi, and Janko gave a vivid, eye opening demonstration of how trained dogs catch suspected criminals during an event on 3 June to mark National Child Protection Week. Coordinated by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit, Port Alfred, various emergency services gave children at Happy Hours Pre Primary a lively demonstration of their role in protecting citizens.
Soyi pretended to be a thief trying to escape, with Trollip and Janko in pursuit. Trollip released Janko, who grabbed the “suspect” by the arm and held him until Trollip arrived to complete the “arrest”. If it were not for the special protective training cover on his arm, Soyi would certainly have been wounded.
“Some dogs go for the neck; others for an arm, while others go for a leg,” Trollip said.
“When the police arrive at a crime scene, we surround the area and the police shout three times, instructing a suspect to hand himself over.”
“If he does not, we release the dog to find him. A dog serves as an assistant to the police.”
Multi Security were there, too, with their dog, Max, under the guidance of Ryan Giblin.
How to train a crime-fighting dog
Charlton Hilpert, of Port Alfred’s Panther Security, explained how to go about training a crime-fighting dog.
“There are a few techniques of conditioning, but I make use of the Operant conditioning technique, meaning the dog gets a reward upon executing a command correctly.”
This is in contrast with classical conditioning (think ‘Pavlovian’) that locks certain outside stimuli to involuntary reflex-based responses. In operant conditioning, voluntary behaviours are learned through positive reinforcement.
The reward could be lots of praise, food or a toy, Hilpert said. The dog learns that it will be rewarded if he executes the command correctly. He also learns the opposite – that if he does not execute a command correctly, he doesn’t get rewarded.
“I do not use any form of force during dog training,” he said.
Hilpert said it takes up to three months to train a dog, depending on what discipline you are training it for.
“Training continues for as long as you are working with a dog.”
Speaking about the importance of a trained dog in combating crime, he said, “They are a vital aid in the prevention and combating of crime. A dog not only helps tracks suspects in the veld; it protects the handler against imminent danger or harm.”