THE Port Shepstone SAPS K9 unit has recently welcomed six new rookies.
This brings the total of dogs in the unit to 16, and includes 10 patrol dogs, a tracker dog, two narcotics dogs, two search and rescue dogs, and an explosives dog.
The dogs will be used to assist the policemen, particularly in conflict situations, where dogs are faster and stronger than humans.
They earn their keep by catching fleeing criminals, as well as sniffing out suspects, drugs, weapons and bombs in dangerous situations.
Constable Kabir Singh and Warrant Officer Patrick Mlangeni underwent patrol dog training for the first time in Pretoria for four months.
Cst Singh’s K9 partner is five-year-old German shepherd, Stitch, while W/O Mlangeni’s partner is Sugar, a two-year-old German shepherd.
Experienced K9 members, Constable Wonder Mchunu, Sergeant Willow le Roux, Sergeant Desmond Theunissen and Sergeant Neels Pretorius went for an ‘aanpassings’ course to bond with their new patrol dogs.
Cst Mchunu befriended five-year-old Rottweiler Jass, Sgt le Roux bonded with eight-year-old German shepherd Brutus, and Sgt Pretorius’s new partner is three-year-old German shepherd Quality. Sgt Theunissen has teamed up with his new patrol partner, Rex, a five-year-old German shepherd.
The new tracker dog is Sid, a one-year-old Dobermann which belongs to Sergeant Mbuso Ndlovu. They’ve trained together for six months.
