Page 25 - BRAVO3_ISSUE1_MAY_JUN_2018

NowI’m goingtotalkaboutwhathasbotheredmethemostsincereturning.Iam welawarethatthereisso muchmisinformationduringsuchalargeincident,butbecauseofbeingthereanddirectlyinvolvedIam able tosaythefolowing,knowingthatitisthetruth.ThelocalLawEnforcementdideverythingright.Forsucha smalsherif’sdepartment(thereweretwoinvolvedbecausethesearchareawasontheborderoftwo counties)theyrespondedandtookappropriateactions.Theyhadnotone,buttwohelicoptersonscenevery quickly.Thewoodswherethechildwentmissingwerefairlyclearofunderbrush,almostmanicuredinmost
. It w a s o n e o f th e b e s t lo o k in g a re a s fo r a tra ilin g te a m to w o rk . A la w e n fo rc e m e n t tra ilin g te a m w a s deployedandonscenequickly(Iwilnotsayfrom where).From myunderstandingthiswastheveryfirstteam toatempttotrailthevictim,whichatthistimehewouldhavestilbeenalive.Theteam wasprovidedafresh scentarticleandwasstartedatthepointlastseen.Iwilnotgointofurtherdetailotherthantheywerenot successful. Idonotknowwhothisteam wastrainedby,whom theyarecertifiedwithoriftheywerecertified, Iwouldhopetheyare.Ihavereadmanycommentsonhowgoodofateam theyare,howcompetenttheyare,
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twasbecausetheboywassosmal,hisbodyputoutlessodorandtheexcusesgoonandonandon.This isliteralyworsecasescenario,lifeordeath.Missing2-year-oldboy,lightlydressedinwintertime,asthe eveningsunhasset,temperatureisdroppinganditisyouandyourdog.Thisisthereasonthatwetrainthe waywedoandthereasonIam sosetondoubleblindtrails,aswelasvaryingyourtrack/trailayers.Because ofthisexactsituation,ifIam caled,IhavetobedamnsurethatIcangoandperform.Ifthereisanydoubtin myheadthatIcannot,thenIam getingonthehornandcalingforthebestteam Icanfind.
Ican’timaginethefeelingoftheK9handlergetingthecal.AsIsaid,Idonotknowanyoftheteam’sdetails. Itrulyhopetheyaredoingok,butIforsureknowthatwhoeveristheK9supervisorneedstobebroughtinfor reviewandtheheadoficialofthedepartmentneedstodosomelookingathowthisunitisbeingtrained.They needtobefulytruthfulwiththemselves.Wastheteam,whohadthehighestlikelihoodofsuccessbeingthe first,properlytrained,properlycertified,fulypreparedandqualifiedtotakethatcal.
I h a v e tra in e d w ith a fe w S A R g ro u p s . T h e o n e s I h a v e s e e n d o n o t a p p ro a c h th e tra in in g in th e s a m e mindsetthatIdo(alsoalotofPolice).Don’tgetmewrong,Ilovetohavefun,youhavetoointraining,but theremustbeachangeinthewaywetrain.IobservedaSARgrouptrainandrunmultipletracking/trailing teamsontopofthesametrainingtrack.Onedogafteranotherafteranother,howcansomeonewhohasany conceptofhowscentworks,howdogswork,evendefendthisaspropertraining? Youcan’t,nottosomeone whoisknowledgeableaboutscent.Ifyourgroupistrainingthisway,please!Calme,messagemeorhave
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rtrainercal.Youhavetostop!Ifyouarerunningalknowntrails,stop!Youmustbechalengingyour team,yourselfandyourdog.Ifyouare100% inyourtrainingyouarelyingoryouarelazy. Trainhardtobe successfulinthecalouts.
OnethingIstressoverandoveragaininourtrainingistheseriousnessofwhat wedo.RepeatedlyItelmylawenforcementhandlers,“Youneedtohaveyour headright.Yourdogisgoingtotakeyouandyourcoveroficerstothefight.You havetorealizethisnow andnotwhenit’stoolate.” ThinkaboutwhatIdo,I literalytraindogsandoficerstogodirectlyintoharmsway.Itisaheavyburden attimes,knowingthatoficers/deputiesthatIknow,I’m friendswithandcare aboutareoutthere,headedintodanger. Ialwaysaskmyself,“DidIdo
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Itliteralykeepsmeupatnightsometimes.IhopeInevergetthecalortext thatsomethinghashappenedtooneofourteamsbutitisarealityImustbeas readyfor.AlIcandoisgivethedogsandteamsmyeverythingIcanintheir training.Imustbecompletelytruthful,makesurethattheyknowtheirlimitations asateam,teachthem tobehonestinwhattheycanandcan’tdo.Icannever givethem anyfalsebelievesinthemselves,theirdogortheirteam.Istriveto setthem uptoconstantlyimprovethroughhowtheysetuptheirtraining.
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