ZAMBOANGA CITY: The police force here is asking the City
Government to purchase five K9 dogs to help build up the security of the city.
A police dog, often
referred to as a K9, is a dog trained specifically to assist police and other
law-enforcement personnel in their work.
ZCPO Director Angelito
Casimiro said with the ample support personnel, they lack the needed trained dogs
for the activation of additional K9 units.
Casimiro said that if
the city will purchase five K9s, four will be specially-trained on explosive
detection while the remaining one on drugs.
Each dog, including the
expenses for the training, costs P1.5 million each.
A K9 unit usually
consists of a trained dog and a handler and, in some instances, with an
assistant handler, he added.
A K9 unit is needed in public
places such as the Fort Pilar, Paseo del Mar, Plaza del Pilar and the city’s business
district to sniff explosives or detect illicit substances such as drugs.
Casimiro disclosed that
at present, their explosive ordnance demolition team one only unit of K9, and
they often get help from K9 units of the Regional Public Safety Battalion and
that of the Philippine Coast Guard.
In many jurisdictions,
the intentional injuring or killing of a K9 police dog is considered a felony.