Law enforcement officers from across the country came together last week for the Australian Federal Police’s (AFP) inaugural national Technology Detection Dog Symposium.
AFP Superintendent Simon Henry said the Australian-first symposium saw officers from the Federal Police’s Technology Detection Dog (TDD) program share training insights, success stories from recent operations, and valuable lessons learnt in the formative stages of capability development.
Superintendent Henry said the symposium gave canine professionals across the country the opportunity to work together to help develop the next generation of crime fighting canines.
“Tech detection dogs are an invaluable asset to law enforcement agencies and are essential in combatting crime in a modern era where critical evidence is often stored on hidden electronic devices,” Superintendent Henry said.
“These dogs are successful in improving operational outcomes, supporting AFP investigators and those from other agencies to identify potential items containing evidence at search warrants,” he said.
“We are working hand-in-glove with our law enforcement partners to bolster this national capability, to stay one step ahead of criminals.”
Superintendent Henry said that since the national rollout of technology detection dogs in 2019, the keen-nosed canines located hundreds of potential evidentiary items that could otherwise have gone undetected.
“While the dogs are utilised across a range of investigations, including counter terrorism, drug crime, and State and Territory Police operations, about 40 per cent are related to child protection,” he said.
Superintendent Henry said the event included attendees from the Australian Border Force, ACT Corrective Services, Australian Defence Force, Corrective Services NSW, National Office for Child Safety, NSW Police Force, Northern Territory Police, Queensland Corrective Services, South Australia Police, Victoria Police and Western Australia Police.
