Did you know that the Police K-9 Unit goes back a long way? We trace its origins and the expanded role the Unit has played within the SOC over the years!
By: Inspector Bernard Tan and Christabelle Lim
The Police Dog Unit was first established in 1955, with dogs mainly trained to track down suspects and conduct patrols. Over time, the Unit had grown both in size and capabilities. In 2003, it was renamed the Police K-9 Unit and reorganised to be part of the newly established Special Operations Command (SOC).
Today, there are more than 250 working dogs in the Police K-9 Unit, playing key roles in various Police operations through their unique capabilities in narcotics detection, explosives detection, public order maintenance and public security response. Here are three unique and little-known roles played by our dedicated canines – Public Order Dog, Public Security Dog and Victim Recovery!
The building of Public Order Dog capabilities began in earnest in the early 2010s. On 29 September 2017, Public Order Dog teams were fully operationalised and had their first combined training with the Police Tactical Unit (PTU).
From civil disturbances to violent riots, these dependable canines are ready to do their part!
The Public Security Dog capability provides the PTU with an additional tactical option to conduct systematic searches and neutralise armed terrorists. The pioneer batch of Public Security Dog teams was operationalised in May 2019.
When it comes to supporting our officers in high-risk security operations, these dogs have the aptitude and training to make a real difference.
But it isn’t only on home ground that the Police K-9 Unit is playing a vital role. On 13 August 2018, five K-9 officers and three Victim Recovery dogs, together with eight United Nations Peacekeeping Force officers, departed for Laos to aid in disaster relief and victim recovery efforts.
The disaster was due to the collapse of the hydroelectric dam in the Attapeu and Champasak Provinces in southeastern Laos on 23 July 2018, which killed at least 31 people and left 7,000 people homeless. Despite the challenges of this relief operation, the Police K-9 Unit were up to the task.
You’ll be pleased to know that after having completed their tours of duty, our dedicated canines are able to enjoy some well-deserved downtime. In June 2017, dog handlers from the Singapore Police Force, Singapore Civil Defence Force and Ministry of Defence residing in HDB flats were allowed to adopt their retired sniffer dogs under Project ADORE.
From 2018, members of the public staying in HDB flats were also allowed to adopt retired sniffer dogs. Sniffer breeds include Labradors, Springer Spaniels, Cocker Spaniels and Pointers.
To date, the Police K-9 Unit has rehomed more than 60 retired sniffer dogs in HDB flats under Project ADORE. This has enabled our working dogs to lead a loving familial life after their retirement. Take a bow, canines!
Read on to find out about the Crisis Negotiation Unit, the UN Peacekeeping Force, the Special Women Task Team, and the STAR Unit of the SOC!
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