Police Dogs Are Now Wearing Sensors to Detect Explosives

Police Dogs Are Now Wearing Sensors to Detect Explosives

German Shepard. image by pixabay

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Police dogs are already trained for patrol and tracking, so how about we add advanced explosive detection as well? New York City’s Police Department (NYPD) has enacted the Transit Enhanced Detection Dog (TREDD) program that features an experienced explosive detection dog wearing a sensor-laden harness that can detect radiation or chemicals the dogs haven’t been trained to identify.

GCN.com reports that with the sensor harness, a dog already trained for patrol, tracking and explosive detection becomes part of a virtual CBRNE detection platform, allowing police to respond to various attacks with the same canine. 

The system is capable of taking location and sensor readings and transmitting them to a custom-designed app on a handler’s cellphone in real-time, giving officers an early alert to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive (CBRNE) weapon. The sensors can also be monitored by local commanders who can see the GPS location of the dog and handler on either a laptop or phone.

“The system is plug and play,” NYPD Transit Bureau Officer Edwin Ramirez told Fox News. “So, if terror groups change their tactics, I can change sensors and redirect what we need to do.”

Besides detecting explosives or chemical weapons, the team can also quickly sweep subway cars after they pull into the station.