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perfect team.In the second stage of training, the

dogs’ skills are honed for a further five weeks before they undergo exams.

Legislation in some countries means that G4S will also have to go to specialist local assessment and training centres.

The training is rigorous and fewer than two out of five dogs pass the first stage. However, by the end of the process, the dogs are trained to a point where they are better at detecting explosives

Canine defenceWith the risk of terrorism ever

present, airports and the companies that operate in

them are continuously evaluating and implementing better ways of ensuring the safety of their passengers, cargo and aircraft.

Yet it is not only 21st century technology which is key to protecting airports: man’s best friend has a vital role to play.

Dogs are a vital part of airport security and G4S capitalises on this to enhance security levels at many of the airports it serves.

The company has extensive experience in the use of canine detection and has used ‘sniffer’ dogs for several years in the protection of some of the highest-profile venues in the world, including some north atlantic treaty organization (nato) sites.

G4S provides canine security services across the globe, with each team of security officers and dogs trained to provide a tailored service to a huge range of customers in widely varied locations.

The firm carefully selects intelligent and strong animals which show the ability to consistently and effectively work in the most demanding environments around the world.

The dogs best suited to supporting manned guarding services are usually German Shepherds or Malinois, while Labradors and Springer Spaniels are usually better suited for detecting explosives, due to their physique and drive.

The trainee dogs are put through a rigorous training programme developed exclusively by G4S Canine Services which enhances their obedience, detection, agility and search skills.

They can be trained to detect – by smell alone – a variety of items, including cash, mobile phones, drugs and weapons.

Stage one of the training takes place over eight weeks at a specialist training centre developed by G4S in the United Kingdom.

The dogs are then carefully and gradually introduced to the G4S security agent who becomes their sole handler for life, to ensure they develop into a

David Stockton of G4S looks at the key role of canine detection in the

aviation industry

David Stockton, Director, Global Aviation Solutions at G4S, is responsible for shaping and delivering G4S’ aviation solutions strategy.

David joined G4S in January 2012 having previously spent 15 years in the airline sector combining customer, commercial and supply chain activity roles for British Airways and Pourshins Supplair.

Web: www.g4s.com

‘The dogs are gradually introduced to the G4S

security agent who becomes their sole handler

for life, to ensure they develop into a perfect

team’

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aviaTiON SECUriTY

future, or at least an approved secondary method in some countries.

A capable dog, looking for specific items, would take between 20-30 minutes to search three-quarters of the 300 passengers and their baggage coming off a Boeing 747, whereas at least 36 Customs officers would be needed to make a search with the same degree of effectiveness.

Last year, G4S Canine Service explosive detection dogs stopped threats at Baghdad International Airport, one of the highest risk airports in the world.

In Belgium, dogs have been used by G4S for over 20 years as security patrols around building sites and warehouses to prevent theft. Now, G4S-trained explosive detection dogs are being used to search cargo at Brussels Airport, having passed a rigorous assessment in France to ensure they achieve exacting European Union (EU) regulation standards.

Aside from explosives, dogs can be trained to sniff out specific drugs, including amphetamines, heroin and cannabis.

The G4S canine team prides itself not only on meeting the British standards for dog teams but also on its lead trainer being elected to the Committee of the national association of Security dog Users (naSdU) and being the only private sector canine trainer and provider approved by the UK Prison Service.

Dogs are not the only animals employed by G4S – horses are used by teams in Germany to give a high-profile presence as well as to deliver a useful elevated view of their surroundings, and camels (who have outstanding night vision) are used in Malawi to stop would-be thieves across sugar cane fields and alert their colleagues using more conventional forms of transport.

However, it is man’s best friend who is providing the widest, smartest range of security skills to benefit the security delivery of G4S around the world.

Our canine stars are some of the most highly trained in the world.

Along with their specialist handlers, they are a vital line of defence against terrorists, drug smugglers and criminals.

than the most sophisticated man-made machines.

The dogs that show the right skills and attitude and pass the G4S training will go to live with their handler, possibly alongside another sniffer dog, before they begin work at an airport where G4S provides security.

Not only do dogs save people’s lives but they also save passengers time and airports money. G4S is also developing a capability for dogs to screen passengers, in anticipation that this will become an accepted method of screening in the

Canine defence‘By the end of the process, the dogs are trained to a point

where they are better at detecting explosives than the most sophisticated man-made machines’