DOGS THAT HOLD UP CRIMINALS

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1928, Page 1

DOGS THAT HOLD UP CRIMINALS

HOW BERLIN TRAINS ALSATIANS. BITING TO ORDER ONLY. One of the leading German detectives, Herr Karl Mielialke, has revealed in Manchester details of the intricate police dog system of Germany "by which the Alsatian dog is so well trained as to become invaluable for the suppression of crime. Herr Michalke said: Crime statistics have proved that the police in their fight against the Berlin criminal cannot do without the track dog in their work. German criminals know so much of the record of the shepherd dogs, as they are called in that country, and are so much afraid of them that they invariably give themselves up as soon as a dog appears on the scene. The detective explained how thousands of the dogs are trained, and have to pass strict examinations before they are certified for police work. When fully qualified they will obey any order given by their certified "handlers.” Tlie centre of til© system is an institution at Grunlieide, a small township near Berlin, where the State Police have their training quarters

for dogs and men. Herr Michalke added:

Each dog has his special handler, who has also been trained and has trained dogs. Net only has the dog proved liis worth for tracking criminals, but also in the service of the community. When children get lost in the forests the police dog is quickly on the scent. At some of the biggest institutions for the blind there are specially trained dogs of this kind who lead the blind daily without assistance through the most crowded city street to their place of work. MURDERERS TRACED.

The. guarding dog is handled by a police officer in plain clothes. He takes the animal through all the criminal frequented parts' of the city, and when information is received that a wanted criminal is coming that way he passes on his instructions to the dog. The animal immediately sets off on a. search of dikes, narrow streets, arid alcoves where a man might hide. When it finds the mail it holds him up and barks until the handler comes. Although' only the fiercest dogs are used for this purpose, they will never bite until they are told to. Whenever an officer is informed of a crime to which there is no clue he is obliged to set to work immediately with his tracking dog. If there are any footprints left by the criminal they are covered up with boards until the dog has got the scent from them.

Then it goes off on the track. By this means a great many murderers have been traced.

Hie detective is on holiday in this country and visited the north with Mrs and Miss Workman, of HuyTing Island, Hampshire, who exhibited Alsatian dogs of their own training at the spring meeting of the Alsatian League and Club of Great Britain at Knutsford.