Hosting Guide

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 Introduction

The  International Police K9 Conference is a multi-faceted training  experience designed to educate law enforcement officers in the unique  field of K9 law enforcement.  There are various levels of officers who  attend each conference, from individual K9 officers to supervisory  personnel.  The Conference has gained worldwide recognition and has been  attended by officers from countries around the world including Sweden,  Finland, China, Mexico, England, the Philippines and Canada, just to  mention a few.

As  such we desire to maintain the highest possible standard in how the  program is presented.  The most integral part of that presentation is  the host agency.  Under normal circumstances, with good host support, it  takes roughly six months for each program to be organized.  In most  cases, in order for us to ensure available instructors, we prefer eight  months to a year advance notice of a confirmation by a host agency of  their desire to host a conference in their area.  This allows Eden  Consulting Group enough lead time to ensure the best possible result.

Programs Available

K9 Commander / Administrator Program – Designed to educate supervisory staff on K9 management, including,  but not exclusively limited to policy, liability concerns, hiring  practices, choosing training schools,  the need for training time,  certification standards, employee relationships, supporting the K9 unit,  how to choose handlers and education on the capabilities and deployment  of K9 teams.

Tactical Patrol Dog Program – The patrol dog program challenges handlers at any level of  expertise.  The unique talents of the individual instructors at the  conferences allow each student to work at their level.  Patrol dog  classes are very intense and may include muzzle techniques, high risk  vehicle clearing, helicopter deployment, building search techniques,  live firearms training, tactical obedience routines, problem solving  techniques, deployment in chemical munitions and much more.  As well as  the these practical training experiences, there is extensive classroom  training that varies at each conference, but may include such subjects  as K9 officer safety, liability updates, testifying in court, K9  behavior and modification as well as scent training lectures.

Narcotics Dog Program – This program has recently been entirely re-worked to include more  street specific problems.  Officers work their dogs on practical  problems such as UPS parcel locations, aircraft, buses, warehousing and  various modes of ground transport.  Simulated experiences such as  searching a recently raided house still with the remnants of smoke,  flash bang odor and tear gas.  The course changes slightly with each  program dependent upon what the host agency can provide for training  locations and the amount of narcotics that can be provided for the  various training scenarios.

Basic & Advanced Trauma Care –  This is an optional program dependent upon the host agency.  Very well  received wherever it has been included in the program, this school has  been directly responsible for the saving of a number of canine lives  after their handlers completed the program. This is the original K9  trauma program developed by Dr. John Anderson from Simi Valley,  California and we are pleased to be able to continue to offer it at our  courses.  This program is offered to host agencies hosting any  conference as an option.

Advanced Tactical/SWAT K9 - The  advanced canine tactics school is designed to serve those canine teams  who have previously completed the patrol portion of the international  police k9 conference, or those experienced teams who are looking to  further challenge the limits of their canine training experience. The  focus of the school is to address both the tactics of officer safety for  the canine team, as well as preparing canine teams to work well with  their own agencies tactical (SWAT/ERT) units. The goal of the advanced  canine tactics and swat school is designed to be a challenging and  realistic canine training experience that will change the way officers  think about canine training and identify more opportunities for the safe  and effective deployment of police service dogs in high risk situation. 

Problem Solving/Muzzle Techniques - By far our most popular class this program provides unique, practical  solutions to enhancing your ability to control your dog during intense  situations.  The most valued component is working on managing the bite  work on your dog.  This class teaches you how to work with your dog,  using his innate instincts and abilities to learn to change your dogs  behavior.  This program teaches steps to help you overcome handler  aggression issues, equipment fixation problems and helps to give you a  more fundamental understanding of how to work with your dog instead of  against your dog to accomplish the ultimate in distance control without  resorting to the more common tools of the trade.  We teach you  techniques that allow the dog to teach himself.  When the dog learns the  desired behaviors and that he can succeed only when exhibiting  appropriate behaviors, you have clean outs, no handler aggression  issues, and a dog that is more tactically sound and in control.  This  program requires only a fenced in training field for facilities.

 Urban Tracking School - Our basic and advance tracking schools have been developed to assist  officers in learning the most powerful techniques available for locating  suspects who have fled from crime scenes. In many regions of North  America this art has been lost over the years  due to the advent of shorter training schools.  Under normal  circumstances it requires a 12 to 14 week program in order to include  the tracking profiles in a dog in order for him to be capable of street  ready tracking.  Consistent ongoing training is also required to  maintain this valuable profile.  Our tracking specific program  concentrates specifically on the tracking profile during the time the  team is in attendance. It must be understood that the end result will  depend largely on the amount of experience the team has in tracking  prior to coming into the program, and the amount of time the student can  attend the program. 

Tracking Program Expectations - If  the team has no previous tracking experience at all and the dog has the  appropriate ability, the team will meet the level one and has the potential  to meet our level two specifications for tracking at the end of a four  week program.  If the team has prior experience and is at a superior level one specification prior to attending the program, the team can expect to reach a level two and target for level three specifications at the end of the four week school. For those who are  already meeting these specifications, the teams will be challenged to  include advanced urban hard surface tracking techniques.

Other  programs include Aggression and Control Seminars, Decoy Schools, Legal  and Liability Programs as well as advanced K9 Trauma Care. These  programs can all be provided as a hosted conference, or for individual  agencies and associations.  Call for pricing and details.

Your Decision To Host

The  International Police K9 Conference is a five day intensive program. The  hours are long, running from 8 AM to Midnight four out of the five  days.  Officers are usually up at 6:30 in order to have breakfast in  time, and are normally not in bed until shortly after midnight.  On the  final day, the start time is the same, with the program usually  completing by 2:00 PM when certificates are issued.

In  order for the Conference to be successful, the host agency must be  capable of providing training locations within short travel times when  at all possible, and be willing to provide host “team leaders” for the  duration of the conference.  Eden Consulting provides 1 complimentary  position for every 10 K9 Teams that register.  Normall there are a  minimum of forty officers in attendance. The host agency offices are   assigned to the patrol dog program as the patrol program is divided up  into four teams, each requiring a team leader.

It  is important to understand that good hosting of the Conference is  imperative to the success of the programs.  The programs provided are  limited only by the training opportunities provided by the host agency.

Of  vital importance, the host agency must provide enough decoys to  accommodate the needs of all the training profiles each evening.  This  normally requires 12 decoys who are capable of “catching” dogs on a bite  sleeve when necessary.  These decoys are invited to attend the entire  school, free of charge, and are normally given extensive training on  decoy work during the week and can be an excellent opportunity for  prospective handlers who are looking to improve their potential as  future K9 officers.

Should  you decide to host a Conference, this guide will assist you in what  steps to take in order to properly prepare.  If you have any questions  please feel free to contact Bob Eden directly by Email at  or by calling  403-569-6822.

Initial Preparation

The  first step in hosting the International Police K9 Conference is to  determine if you have the venues required to make the operation a  success.  Venues include both the training sites as well as classroom  space enough to accommodate all the participants.

Classrooms – Classes are run daily for the entire five day program, from 9 AM until  4:30 PM.  The size of the class needs to be large enough to accommodate  the number of students applying for the program.  Classes can extend  anywhere from 40 to 100 participants at any given conference, so it is  wise to ensure maximum capability.  Depending on the program structure  you may need a second, smaller classroom to accommodate a separate  class.  For example, a patrol class may run concurrent with a narcotics  class, therefore two classrooms would be required, although the second  classroom can usually be significantly smaller in size, accommodating 25  or less in most cases.

Classroom  Setting – Each classroom setting needs to be in a “classroom” style  setting.  In other words, tables where the students can take notes with  the focus of the class to the front of the room. 

Multi-media - In most cases our team will have computers with them, however a  projector or other system is often required as is a video machine.  A  good stereo system that has the ability to play cassettes and provide  better sound from a video system also enhances the quality of  instruction if it can be made available.  If a second classroom is  required for your program (ie: narcotics or explosives program) you will  also need a duplicate system in the second room.  The projection system  provided by Eden & Ney Associates will be used in the main  classroom facility.

Accommodations - The International Police K9 Conference is an expensive program to  operate, and as a result, it is an expensive program for officers to  attend.  Many officers attend supporting themselves financially, often  without any support from their respective agencies.

To  assist us in keeping costs down so we do not have to raise the costs of  the programs, and to make the out of pocket expenses to officers  attending the programs more palatable, the lodging expenses need to be  minimized as much as possible, however at the same time we do our best  to locate hotels within your area that are reputable and in good areas  preferably close to the training locations.  To that end, we hire a  specialist company that does initial research and negotiates for hotel  rates who will locate potential candidate properties.  Once those  properties are found, they are offered an opportunity to bid for the  opportunity to be the host hotel. 

To  that end, we will need your assistance to help narrow down he best  quality hotels. This may entail a visit to some of the hotels to assist  us in determining the most suitable location and help us to make a final  decision on the best hotel to host the conference.

Once  the host hotel/motel has been determined, and a confirmation received  from the host agency that they are a confirmed go, the Conference will  be announced, brochures developed and mailed out.

Announcements  by department communications advising agencies to contact Eden Consulting  Group for further details or registration packages can also begin at  this time.  It is recommended that multiple teletypes be sent out during  the time that registrations are being accepted.

Patrol Dog Program Minimum Requirements

Venues  - The basic conference is designed slightly different for each  program.  However, the most intensive preparation is always for the  patrol dog program. The patrol dog program runs 4 teams with a maximum  of 10 officers in each team.  Each team rotates through a set schedule  each day until they complete the program.  For this program the  following are required:

1.  Open grass field, roughly the size of a football field, fenced if  possible, or away from the general public where the dogs can be worked  freely during muzzle training.  Shady areas nearby where breaks can be  taken and vehicles parked are preferred.

2.  Firearms Range – Required for the four evening classes from 19:00 hours  to 23:30 hours.  Vehicle access to the range is preferred so officers  can do K9 deployments out of their cars during the training.

3.  In the morning, along with the large field, two smaller areas are  required for two very distinct classes.  A grassy area large enough to  work 2 to 3 dogs at a time for problem solving, as well as an area for  tactical obedience.  An area half the size of a baseball field for each  of these is ideal.  If a K9 obstacle course is close by and available,  it can be used for tactical obedience routines.

4.  An industrial park or similar area where high risk vehicle stops can be  performed without public interference.  An academy driving course, or  out of the way industrial park is fine.

5.  Two felony vehicles for training high risk vehicle stops.  These must be  vehicles where damage can be sustained.  (IE: The dogs may scratch the  car, or the interior may be marred from the dog fighting a decoy in a  bite suit in the car.)  The cars must be large enough to fit a good size  man wearing a bite suit and helmet into.  (A six foot decoy in a full  bite suit has some difficulty working out of a Honda Civic…)

6.  Three bite suits, and eight bite sleeves if possible.  Some equipment  will be provided, but this is a backup that is usually needed at each  program.

7.  Simunition / Blank weapons and supplies.  Eden & Ney Associates Inc.  will pick up the cost on the Simunition and blanks if used at a  program, however to ease the transport of weapons, it is requested that  you provide at least 2 Simunition capable weapons.  Standard .38  revolvers are fine.

8.  Chemical Munitions – A building where tear gas canisters can be deployed  for one afternoon or morning class.  We also require canisters of CN,  CS or OC, with OC being the munitions of choice.  If you have enough  advance notice the best source we have found is with your local SWAT/ERT  team.  Ask them to put aside any materials they have that are due out  for rotation, or that can be used for training.  Twelve to fourteen  canisters are usually required to complete the program for all the dog  teams.  Six to eight smoke canisters, or if at all possible a theatre  smoke machine from your local fire department is also required.

Optional Helicopter Program - Patrol

Helicopter  Deployments – This is an optional program, but one that seems to be  requested more and more by our host agencies.  If the host agency  desires, they may provide aircraft and crew for helicopter deployments.   The air crews benefit from the experience of doing multiple deployments  of dog teams and training to provide air support for ground K9  operations and this aspect of the conference often becomes the highlight  of the program.  

In  order to provide helicopter deployment scenarios two landing zones  fairly close together, (within one mile) where a ground scenario can be  set up from each LZ is preferred.  The routine is normally to load a dog  team, fly them to the LZ and deploy them on a search for an armed  suspect.  While deployed, the air crew provide aerial support so the  teams learn how to work safely with air support.  At the completion of  the scenario, the team is picked up and returned to its starting point,  where a new dog team is then picked up and put through the same  process.  Upon returning to the original location, the dog team has a  second scenario waiting for them that does not include air support but  is tactically oriented.