G4S plc UK DK : Prison sniffer dogs with a nose for new narcotics
August 17 2016 - 3:33AM
The latest class of
G4S sniffer dogs is joining the frontline of efforts
to hound out illegal drugs in prisons this month after successfully
completing additional training to sniff out illegal synthetic drugs
often referred to as 'Spice' or 'Mamba'.
A total of 20 dogs and
their G4S handlers have now undergone a thorough month-long
training course to learn how to detect the banned substances.
Formerly known as 'legal highs'
before criminalisation in May this year, these synthetic cannabis
substances have also been linked to increased violence in prisons
across the UK. As part of efforts to tackle drugs and other
contraband in prisons, G4S has trained
every sniffer dog in service at the five prisons the
company manages on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
Dogs at HMP Altcourse near
Liverpool, HMP Birmingham, HMP Oakwood near Wolverhampton, HMP Parc
near Bridgend and HMP Rye Hill in Warwickshire received their
official accreditation after being licensed by the National
Offender Management Service (NOMS).
G4S Canine and Training Manager,
Lee Deighton, said:
"All of these dogs were
already deployed to the prisons, and I'm pleased to say they all
passed the additional detection training with flying colours.
"Our dogs are trained
over a period of three to four weeks to detect strains of legal
highs.
"In practice it is similar to the
standard narcotics detection training - during the initial
stages,dogs learn to recognise the scent and then progress to
make a passive indication on people and places where they detect
the scent.
"For the final part, we test
the dogs in a live prison environment, placing contraband
in unoccupied cells and ensuring they are able to detect it."
Jerry Petherick, Managing
Director, G4S Central Government Services, said:
"There is no place in prison for
drugs and these dogs are vital assets in our drive to
create and maintain safe environments which support prisoners to
turn away from crime.
"There is still some way to go but
new legislation and testing regimes together with the relentless
work of dedicated prison officers and these
detection dogs is having an impact against the threat
from new psychoactive substances.
"There should be no doubting our
determination to tackle the supply of these kinds of substances to
the prisons we manage. We will always refer cases to the
police and push for the strongest possible sanctions in court."
Ends
John Donnelly with Jake (Labrador,
7 years)
G4S sniffer dogs and handlers outside Oakwood
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Source: G4S plc UK DK via Globenewswire
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