Armies have used dogs in warfare since Xerxes invaded Greece in 479 BC. Law enforcement officers also relied on dogs informally, using them to guard piers and docks and track down outlaws as far back as the Middle Ages. Fun fact: in the late 14th century, Scottish handlers used bloodhounds they called “Slough dogs” — a name that later gave us the word “sleuth.” Formal K9 units, however, did not join law enforcement until the late 19th century.

Ghent, Belgium: Birth of the Modern K9 Program

Modern police dog training traces back to Ghent, Belgium. A shortage of police officers left the city’s commissioner short on funds for more men, so he asked the mayor for dogs instead. Local police then trained these dogs to support the force, creating the first formal canine training program.

News of Ghent’s program spread across Europe, and Germany began experimenting with dog breeding and training programs of its own. German trainers chose the German Shepherd as the ideal police breed and opened their first dog training school in 1920, teaching dogs obedience, tracking, and suspect apprehension. They later added the Belgian Malinois to the program.

The Program Crosses the Atlantic

News of these European programs soon crossed the Atlantic. In the early 1900s, the New York Police Commissioner sent Inspector George R. Wakefield to study the Belgian training methods firsthand. Wakefield brought five Belgian sheepdogs back to New York for operations and breeding, and the department launched America’s first police K9 unit — though with only moderate success. Trainers taught the dogs to attack anyone not in uniform, so on patrol they would tackle any civilian out at night and bark until their handlers arrived.

Police dog programs saw mixed results over the next several decades. Baltimore’s K9 program finally earned national attention in the 1950s, and police departments across the country adopted the model. By the 1970s, police dogs had become a mainstream part of law enforcement.

K9 Breeds Used By Law Enforcement

Popular police dog breeds include German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, Bloodhounds, and Labrador Retrievers. Law enforcement agencies also use Akitas, Boxers, Doberman Pinschers, Golden Retrievers, and Beagles.

The breed a department chooses often depends on the job the K9 will perform. Trainers prepare police dogs for specialized tasks such as apprehending suspects or detecting narcotics, explosives, and firearms. Departments also classify working dogs as either “single purpose” or “dual purpose”: single-purpose dogs handle personal protection and tracking, while dual-purpose dogs add detection work to their skill set.

Departments frequently deploy Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers, Labrador Retrievers, and Bloodhounds as search-and-rescue dogs, helping officers locate suspects or find missing people. For more information on K9 breeds, check out this article.

How to Help K9s Used in Law Enforcement

Today, the U.S. has an estimated 50,000 active police dogs — a long way from the five puppies Wakefield brought back from Belgium! These dogs protect officers and civilians from crime every day, but in most cases, K9 handlers must personally cover their partner’s equipment and safety costs.

That’s where Project Paws Alive comes in. Many agencies cannot accept direct donations from the public or private businesses, so we step in on their behalf. Your donation lets us provide K9 protective vests, first aid kits, cooling vests, and vehicle heat alarms to handlers across the country who need them.

We believe every Law Enforcement, Fire, Search & Rescue, and Military K9 deserves the same lifesaving protection as their human partners. These highly trained dogs protect and serve us every day — we believe we owe them the same protection in return. Please help us by making a donation here.

Sources:

Dogs, the Four-Legged Crime-Fighters of Paris

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_dog

Police Canines in History

https://www.3dk9detection.com/news/what-do-police-k9-dogs-do