Kerala police plan to expand K9 squad with 38 additions

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state police will soon add more teeth to its canine unit, better known as the K9 squad, by drafting 38 dogs of various breeds, with nearly half of the new additions intended to be used for detecting explosives and narcotics.

An expert committee will take a final call on the proposal that has been submitted by the State Dog Training School to the State Police Headquarters and the state police chief, sources said. The K9 squad currently has 142 active dogs and the proposal, if accepted in its entirety, will augment the strength to 180.

Suman B S, veterinary surgeon of the K9 squad, said the primary focus will be on procuring German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, which are known for their agility and intelligence. However, with the number of Labradors gradually declining, we are also prioritising them along with Golden Retrievers as second-preference breeds,” Suman said.