Cadaver Search Certification
To be eligible to certify a K-9 in human remains detection you must fall under one of the following.
1. You must be a licensed law enforcement officer, reserve, correction officer, (or retired law enforcement or correctional officer in good standing with the NNDDA prior to retirement).
2. Full Time Firefighter.
3. In the military with assigned recovery duties.
4. A contractor/employee of a state licensed private security company, or private investigator with the appropriate state license(s) where applicable or proof of employment. Each employee of a private security company must possess a current background clearance from a state police agency that must be current and given to the certifying official at the time of certification.
5. Must be attached to a local, county, federal agency with assigned human remains recovery duties. Must have a letter each year, on departmental letterhead, from the head of the agency endorsing and authorizing you as an agent with recovery duties. Any search must be under the color of that agency’s authority. Unauthorized searches will not be covered by your certification.
The handler must be at least eighteen (18) years of age to certify a K-9.
Team must be prepared to travel to a location designated by the certifying official. No certifications will be conducted at the vendor’s facilities.
SECTION 1. TYPE OF CADAVER AIDS TO BE USED FOR CERTIFICATION AND EXCEPTIONS:
Only Human remains will be used as aids. To certify the team is required to alert to bone and tissue. Urine and Blood cannot be used for certification. If a NNDDA certified cadaver team is used in any type of animal detection (example, barn competition) their NNDDA cadaver certification will automatically be null and void.
FAILURES:
At least one hide of animal remains will be placed in one of the search areas. Alert on animal remains results in a failed certification. Consumption of any aid results in a failed certification. The second alert on a non-hide location or a second missed hide results in a failed certification. Urinating on an aid.
NO PSEUDO AIDS WILL BE USED FOR CERTIFICATION SIZE and AMOUNT of AIDS:
The amount and size of the aid will dictate the depth of the hide (smaller amounts will be shallow, etc.).
HEIGHT and DEPTH of AIDS:
Aids will be hidden at various heights and depths to be determined by the certifying official but no shallower than 6 inches, or deeper than 36 inches, or higher than six feet.
SECTION 2. TIME ISSUES
There must be at least a 30-minute set time for each aid. Certifying official will dictate how long an aid will need to set given the environment, depth, and nature of the hide.
The team will be allowed the necessary time required to do a systemic search of the area. The handler may request a rest break if the canine tires or shows signs of heat exhaustion.
The time limit at a given area will be at the discretion of the certifying official. The dog must show competence and continued interest in working and in locating the cadaver aid.
SECTION 3. ALERTS
Each handler is responsible for notifying the certifying official the type of alert (passive or aggressive) to expect. Handler must announce each canine alert to the certifying official.
SECTION 4. SEARCH AREA
The team may certify in land, or water, or both
LAND SEARCH will consist of at least three of the following:
1 aid hidden in rubble, concrete, lumber, building material, etc.
1 aid hidden on the surface concealed with leaves, brush, etc.
1 aid buried with additional diggings added to area to disguise the actual hide location
1 aid concealed above the ground
1 aid hidden at the discretion of the certifying official that is similar to actual finds from the case history of the area.
Only one aid will be hidden in no less than a 50 yard by 50-yard area with a maximum of 50 yard by 100 yards. Final determination of appropriately sized area will be left to the certifying official.
The canine team must alert on at least two different types of aids (tissue, bone) in two different environments to pass certification.
WATER SEARCH
The area of the water search will be defined by the certifying official and clearly described to the canine team. At least three finds will be submerged at different depths. Search will be done by boat if available.
The canine team must alert on at least two different tissue aids in two different depths to pass certification.
SECTION 5. CERTIFICATION
Certification is valid for one calendar year. There will be thirty days waiting period to attempt to certify again unless circumstances at the time of the certification has been determined by the certifying official to warrant another attempt. All rulings by the certifying official are final.
OPTIONAL CADAVER ENVIRONMENTS
To certify in the optional environments a team must have already qualified under the cadaver certification standards.
The certifying official will provide their own certifications aids. No outside aids will be used unless they are easily recognizable as human remain by the certifying official.
OPTION ONE, Large Buried Find with Distraction
Several pounds of aid buried with distracter holes in an area not less than 50 yards by 50 yards. Bury depth not to exceed 36 inches. A distracter consisting of buried animal remains will be included in the area. An alert on the animal remains will result in a failure.
OPTION TWO, Vehicle Searches
At least three vehicles spaced several feet apart, spacing will be determined by the certifying official. One aid consisting of bone or tissue in or on one of the vehicles. An alert on a vehicle without the aid would constitute a failure.
OPTION THREE, Building Search
A building, dwelling, or residence with several rooms to search. Some of the rooms should have furnishings as distracters. One aid consisting of bone or tissue should be hidden. An alert on an area without the aid would constitute a failure.
OPTION FOUR, Scatter (Disarticulated) Bone
The bone scattering should in an area approximately 10 feet in circumference. Area should also have animal bone as a negative aid. An alert on animal bone will result in a failure.
OPTION FIVE, Exposed Find
Several pounds of aid in an area at least 50 by 50 yards laying on the surface. The aid must be packaged in a manner to prevent damage to the aid or exposure to the team. Any attempt by the canine to consume or urinate on the aid will result in a failure.
TO BECOME A CERTIFYING OFFICIAL
IN CADAVER DETECTION
To be eligible to be a certifying official, one MUST be a full-time paid law enforcement officer, or corrections officer either local, state, federal. An applicant cannot be in the business of selling police dogs. These two requirements will not be waived. A certifying official retains their certifying official status when they retire from law enforcement.
If you meet the above requirements there are several ways to be considered for an interview. An applicant must be a current member in good standing with NNDDA for the last three (3) years.
Proof of certifications and/or expertise must add up to three years of experience in the selected field.
Applicant may have certified with NNDDA in cadaver or a NNDDA Certifying Official in narcotics or explosive detection for one year, show that there is a need for a certifying official in this area, have written endorsement from a senior (3 years) cadaver certification official with the NNDDA.
If not retired, applicant must produce written support from his or her agency.
Applicant will request a certifying official packet from the Secretary of the NNDDA.
Applicant will complete the packet and return it to the Secretary of the NNDDA.
All information submitted will be validated by the NNDDA Board of Directors. The Board will notify the applicant of the results.
Applicant must pass a formal interview with the NNDDA Board.
The Board will determine which seminar/certification the applicant must attend to work with a senior certifying official(s). That certifying official(s) will make a written recommendation to complete the process.
Certifying Officials must have access to equipment and training aids to conduct this certification.
Each certifying official must ensure that they possess a current copy of NNDDA Certification Standards and certify to that standard.
A CERTIFYING OFFICIAL MAY NOT CERTIFY A DOG HE/SHE HAS TRAINED THE FIRST TIME THE DOG TEAMS CERTIFY
NO CERTIFYING OFFICIAL WHO BECOMES A VENDOR OR AN EMPLOYEE OF A VENDOR CAN CERTIFY ANY CANINE TEAM THAT HAS BEEN SOLD, EMPLOYED OR MAINTAINED (MAINTENANCE CONTRACT) BY YOU OR YOUR VENDOR.
YOUR POSITION IN THE NNDDA CAN NOT BE USED IN ANY ANVERTISEMENT.
A certifying official may be removed from certifying official status by a majority vote by the Board of Directors.