For the first time in Australia, AFP organized the first National Technical Sniffer Dog Symposium aimed at developing the capabilities of technical sniffer dogs on a national scale.

The two-day event was attended by law enforcement agencies from across the country and was hosted by AFP’s National Canine Operations Unit at a purpose-built training facility in Canberra.

Officials from AFP’s Technology Detection Dog (TDD) program shared training insights, success stories from recent operations across the country, and valuable lessons learned during the formative phase of capacity development.

Simon Henry of the Metropolitan Police Department said the symposium gave dog experts across the country an opportunity to work together to help develop the next generation of crime-fighting dogs.

“Technical sniffer dogs are an invaluable asset to law enforcement and vital to fighting crime in an age where important evidence is often stored on hidden electronic devices,” said Superintendent Henry. said.

“These dogs are helping AFP and other agency investigators to identify items that may contain evidence in search warrants, successfully improving operational outcomes.”

“We are working with our law enforcement partners to strengthen the nation’s ability to stay ahead of criminals.”

Established in 2019, the TDD program has impacted frontline efforts and helped investigate many types of crimes, including online child sexual exploitation.

Since the introduction of technical sniffing dogs nationwide, sharp-nosed dogs have found hundreds of potential evidence items that might otherwise have gone undetected.

Dogs are used in a variety of investigations, including counter-terrorism, drug crimes, and state and territory policing, but about 40% are related to child protection.

Last year, under the National Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Child Sexual Abuse, AFP received $5.7 million in funding for its technology sniffer dog capability. This contributed to the training of 8 new dogs and handlers. She now has two technical sniffer dogs in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

The event ended today and included participants from Australian Border Force, ACT Correctional Service, Australian Defense Force, Correctional Service NSW, National Child Safety Service, NSW Police, Northern Territory Police, Queensland Correctional Service and South Australian Police. rice field. , Victoria Police and Western Australian Police.