lets-patrol certification requirements

PATROL CANINE
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

PATROL CERTIFICATION - DEFINED: The demonstration of the Patrol Canine Team’s ability to perform any and all necessary functions required of a “multi-purpose” Patrol Team, to the satisfaction of the Certification Official(s) present.

HANDLER: Must be a law enforcement or correctional officer of a federal, state, county, or local agency, and must have completed 40 hours of LETS training.

CANINE: Must have completed 40 hours of LETS training with the assigned handler. NOTE: If handler and canine change and are no longer a “team” the certification is null and void.

TEAM: The handler and canine must pass the LETS Basic Obedience Skills Test, to the satisfaction of the Certification Official(s). The Certification Official(s) decision will be final.

SEMINAR REQUIREMENT: Seminar: A canine and handler shall attend, and successfully complete, forty (40) hours of LETS Patrol Dog Training each time prior to attempting LETS Certification. Many of the Skills Tests performed during a seminar, may be counted as being adequate for this test and may not need to be repeated unless directed by the Certification Official(s). Some areas of the Skills Test may be combined and conducted in one scenario and will be considered completed when observed by a Master Trainer and / or Certification Official or their designee(s) The decision of the Certification Official(s) is final.

SAFETY: Safety is paramount during all training and testing of Patrol Dogs. The Master Trainer / Certification Official conducting the LETS Patrol Dog Certification Test, prior to commencing the test, shall conduct a safety briefing. ANY UNSAFE ACT BY ANY CANINE TEAM(S) SHALL BE JUSTIFICATION FOR THE CERTIFICATION OFFICIAL(S) TO TERMINATE THE CERTIFICATION SKILLS TEST.

NOTE: At no time during any LETS Patrol Canine Skills Test will the use of any “electronic” collars be allowed.

AREAS TESTED:

OBEDIENCE: (In addition to the LETS Basic Obedience Skills Test) Obedience is the ability of the handler to control the canine under any given circumstances, either on leash or off leash. All OBEDIENCE demonstrations shall be done without the canine wearing any type of collar, choke chain, electric collar, or any devise. Hand signals and voice commands may be used, however, excessive corrections and commands may be justification for the Certification Official(s) to terminate the Skills Test. The Obedience Skills Test shall consist of the following as a minimum:

A. Agility Course Skills Test: (See section 2.0) Must be completed “off leash” at least one time during the LETS Training Seminar, and observed by the Master Trainer, or Certification Official, and be signed off at that time.
B. Obedience Skill Test shall consist of: 1. A one-minute “down” shall be performed. This may, or may not, be done with other canine teams being tested or present on the field. The handler shall “down” the canine and walk approximately three paces in front of the canine and turn, face the canine, and remain still until advised by the Certification Official(s) to “recall” the canine to the Handler’s side. 2. The Handler and Canine shall be required to walk in and around a series of obstacles (Traffic Control Cones), while performing figure “8” turns and “left and right about” turns. 3. The Handler and Canine shall demonstrate “the crawl”. This is where the Handler and Canine assume a prone position for a distance that allows the canine team to adequately demonstrate their skill to move from one point to another without exposing their position. “Simulated” gunfire may be used during this Skills Test. 4. Other Obedience Skills Tests may be required, other then those mentioned above, depending on the course

TRACKING: Tracking, (for Patrol), is the ability of the canine team to find a “suspect” in a rural and suburban scenario, day and night. The Tracking Skills Test performed in a LETS Training Seminar may be used for this portion of the Patrol Certification Test, at the discretion of the Certification Official(s). Unless otherwise directed by the Certification Official(s), all TRACKING SKILLS test shall be conducted as if the “suspect” is a felon. The Certification Official(s) shall make available to the canine teams a written description of the felony tracks used for the LETS Skill Test. The Certification Official (s) determines the distance and age of the track. The Patrol Canine Tracking Test(s) shall consist of three (3) Tactical Tracks with at least one (1) being conducted in a rural setting with small arms fire being used during some portion of the test. Weather shall be a consideration in conducting the Patrol Canine Tracking Test(s) The Certification Official (s) when establishing the Patrol Canine Tracking Test(s). Test scenarios shall consider the following areas: (Can be a combination of all of the below).

1. “Bail Out” – ten (10) minute time delay in starting track. May be rural, urban, or suburban. One (1) hour time limit on running the track.
2. One track shall end in an enclosed structure.
3. One track shall incorporate “evidence” on the track dropped by the “actor”.
4. One track shall have a pre-scent article for starting the track and the track shall have a portion in a contaminated area.
5. One track shall be during the hours of darkness.
6. If multiple Canine Teams are being tested, one track scenario may consist of one tracklayer for each Canine Team and a “split up” track used.

FLEEING SUSPECT: The Canine Team shall demonstrate their ability to apprehend and escort a suspect from the point of apprehension by the Canine Team back to the point of “Start”. The Handler must demonstrate his ability to “Apprehend” by:

A. Making contact with the Facilitator.
B. “Down” the canine while “handcuffing the suspect”.
C. “Escorting”.

NOTE: All “FLEEING SUSPECT (S)” Skills Test shall be done off leash and at no time will the Facilitators hands and arms be restrained during the exercise.

DEFENSE OF HANDLER: Is a demonstration of the Canine Team(s) to handle an incident, where, several facilitators (minimum of two), approach the Canine Team from several different directions, in a threatening manner.

SEARCH AND FIND SUSPECT:

A. Building- (Day and Night). The Canine Team(s) shall demonstrate their ability to safely search and make an apprehension in a closed building, while using the established policies of the department employing the team. This demonstration shall vary from seminar to seminar due to location and policies involved.
B. Outside (Urban area, Day and Night). The Canine Team shall demonstrate their ability to safely search an area and make apprehension of a suspect in an urban area scenario, using the established policies of the department employing the team.

CONTROL: Control is the Skills Test for the Canine Team to use only such force as necessary, (reasonable), to apprehend the suspect(s) in a given situation.

A. CALL OUT: Is the ability of the Canine Handler to demonstrate his control of the Canine by having the Canine cease all aggression upon command.
B. STAND AND GUARD: Is the demonstration of the Canine Team to assist an arresting officer who is in the act of apprehending a suspect(s) without making any contact. The Canine Team is acting as a “Back Up” for this incident. The Canine must remain quiet and under full control on leash during this Skills Test.
C. ESCORT: Is the ability of the Canine Team to receive a simulated prisoner from an arresting officer, escorting the prisoner to a vehicle, and placing the prisoner in the vehicle. NOTE: This Skill Test is done “On Leash”.
D. SOCIALIZING WITH CITIZENS AND ANIMALS: Shall be demonstrated all during the seminar. Any unreasonable aggression towards humans and animals will be justification to award a SUBSTANDARD Score to the Canine Team. Certification Official(s) decisions are final.

CEASE AGGRESSION: Cease aggression is a demonstration of the Canine Handlers ability to “RECALL” a canine after the canine has been deployed, and prior to making any contact with the facilitator.

A. FLEEING FELON: Is a demonstration of a “suspect” running away, and ordered to “Halt”. While the “suspect” is running away, the canine shall be deployed and then the “suspect” complies by halting. The canine must not make any contact with the “fleeing felon” after he has been “halted.”
B. STANDING SUSPECT: Is the demonstration of the canine’s obedience training not to deploy while a suspect is talking loudly and gesturing wildly, but making no aggressive movements toward the handler who is approximately 10 feet from the suspect. This Skill Test may be combined with other Skills Test mentioned above.

AGILITY: Agility is the ability of the canine and handler acting as a team to negotiate a series of obstacles established by the Certification Official(s). There shall be no rules established in agility phase. The agility course may be different at each Certification site. However, the canine team shall be in such physical condition as to be able to negotiate jumps, walls, and other barriers used in an agility test. The Certification Official’s decision shall be final on the use of an obstacle course for agility testing. The agility course used during the basic obedience test section (2.0) may be counted for this portion of the test.

COURAGE: Courage is the ability of the Canine Team to perform under adverse scenarios such as gunfire, situations where unsure footing is encountered, and any other situation that may be reasonably encountered by a deployed Canine Team. At no time during a courage test shall a Canine Team be placed in unreasonable situations not encountered in “real time” situations.

CROWD CONTROL: Is the ability of the Canine Team(s) to advance on a group of people while working alone or with other canine teams while the “crowd” is acting out in a manner associated with an unruly group of citizens. During this test, the canine(s) shall remain on leash, and no contact shall be made with the “crowd.”

CONTACT: Is determined by the canine making any type of physical touching of another person or animal. During LETS Skills Test there will be scenarios established where the handler will be required to have control of the canine where contact with a “suspect”, (Facilitator), shall be forbidden. No CONTACT shall ever be made unless the handler and facilitator have established a clear understanding of what exercise is being attempted. At no time shall contact be made with the facilitator who is not wearing adequate protective gear. During the Skills Tests, the Handler will send the canine out and make “contact” with the facilitator. At such time when the Facilitator signals, the Handler shall “out” the canine. Any failure of the canine to “out” after a reasonable amount of time shall be justification to award a “SUBSTANDARD” score. The decision of the Certification Official(s) is final. NOTE: Any unusual force, (“choking out” required by the handler to “OUT” the canine) shall not be acceptable.

Certification will expire twelve (12) months after completion of Skills Tests. This expiration may be extended, (on a case by case basis), provided that a Certification Skills Test is not made available by L.E.T.S. within the twelve (12) month period covered by the certification. An additional Certification Fee will be required each time a Skills Test is conducted.

It shall be noted that all situations concerning LETS Certification Skills Tests can not be covered in this policy, due to many locations, and testing environments that are involved. However, the Certification Officials appointed by the Board of Regents are highly experienced in conducting such tests. The purpose of the Patrol Certification Skills Test is to determine the overall ability, (and reliability) of the canine team to perform any and all of the necessary functions of a “multi-purpose” Patrol Canine Team.