LAW ENFORCEMENT TACTICAL TRACKING
The purpose of a K9 Tactical Tracker is threefold,
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To gather and process information about the quarry from the track that can be used to assist in the apprehension.
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Using a K9 Tracker pursue a quarry making ground through an understanding of the track picture and environmental conditions
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To assess direction and distance from the quarry further utilising this information to effect an arrest executing a manoeuvre or plan of action designed to gain a desired end advantage minimising risk to the pursuit team.
TEXAS PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPT
Tactical/Combat tracking is unfortunately becoming a forgotten discipline within K9 law Enforcement agencies.
Why? There is a huge difference between the discipline of tracking which is commonly taught by Instructors and K9 Combat/Tactical tracking which is utilising the dog in an operational role, a skill set mastered by the Selous Scouts and the U.S Scout Dog teams. Tracking Instructor Daryll Pleasants served for 12 years in the military as a K9 trainer/operational handler and has been instructing operational tracker teams in Africa and India since 2012 . He holds both U.K and U.S Master trainer status, the only person to have this.
In November 2018 Animals Saving Animals was approached by U.S Dogs for Law enforcement to instruct their Police dog handlers in the process and implementation of Combat or Tactical tracking. The course lasts three days and covers the following syllabus,
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Understanding the track picture /Diffusion of scent
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How Environmental conditions affect scent
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Human air raft discrimination
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Hard surface tracking
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Water tracking
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Reading distance/direction from quarry indicators (Proximity alerts)
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Pursuit/Cover team formations
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Visual indicators
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footwear/quarry characteristics
Please email for further information if you wish ASA to attend and present a course to your agency or visit the DLE website for upcoming seminars

