Tracking / Trailing
K9 TRACKING / TRAILING CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
To be eligible to certify a K-9. You must be a full time paid law enforcement officer (Reserve officer), paid full time fire fighter, or in the military with assigned search and rescue duties, or state licensed private security company, or corrections officer, member of a Search and Rescue K9 Team, either local, state, federal or retired law enforcement or correctional officer in good standing with the state you worked for prior to retirement. Be a volunteer actively involved in Search and Rescue, Fire fighter or EMS team. The handler must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to certify with a K9.
EVALUATION REQUIREMENT
This test is designed to test the proficiency of the canine to follow a track and locate a hider/suspect. A 70% on track/trail is required and may be monitored by GPS.
Based on level of certification will determine the distance and number of hiders. Maximum of (2) hiders.
The hider(s) will be placed for a minimum of (30) minutes prior of deployment of canine team with at least (1) cross track laid (15) minutes before deployment.
The track/trail with be a minimum of ¾ of a mile and up to 1 ½ miles in length based on level of certification.
The handler must deploy the canine in a safe and effective manner. The handler must use the terrain and wind currents to their advantage.
It must be obvious to the evaluator that the canine is tracking/trailing hider(s).
Canine must locate hider(s).
The handler must recognize the canines alert and advise of location of hider.
TERRAIN
Dirt, gravel, asphalt, concrete, swamp, wooded/forest, grass and water (stream, etc.). As with any of the levels of testing, the evaluator may use multiple terrains or make changes to testing due to environmental issues or circumstances beyond their control.
FAILURE OF CERTIFICATION
If canine is less than 70% on track/trail or does not locate hider(s) will result in a failed test.
If canine is clearly not tracking/trailing and this is clearly obvious to the evaluator he/she may terminate test and this will result as a failure.
If canine shows aggression toward certifying official and is acting an unsafe manner will result in a failed test.
There will be a (30) day waiting period before attempting to certify again unless circumstances at the time of testing have been determined by the evaluator to warrant another attempt.
All ruling by evaluator(s) are final.