Contraband Detection
To be eligible to certify a K-9 in contraband detection you must fall under one of the following:
1) Full time law enforcement or corrections officer, active military, DOJ, HLS officers with duties as a canine handler.
2) Commissioned part time, reserve officers, hospital or school security with duties as a canine handler. These officers shall, upon request for membership provide a written letter of endorsement, on a department letterhead, signed by the department head.
3) Non law enforcement person/s employed by a private security company. The company must have a state private investigator’s license and a background check that must come from their state police agency. Private security personnel must provide the required documentation each time they certify.
No canine team will be dual certified in Contraband and Explosives by the NNDDA. This certification cannot constitute probable cause for an arrest or warrant. No certifications will be conducted at the vendor’s facilities.
TYPE OF CONTRABAND TO BE USED FOR CERTIFICATION
All K-9’s must find at least two items (can be the same type of item found twice) to certify. The allowed contraband is:
Cell Phone (parts or whole)
Tobacco Products
Plastics
Currency
Fuels (lighters, gas, etc.)
Weapons (knives, razor blades, shives, etc.)
Guns (loaded, unloaded, ammo, gun oils, etc.)
Alcohol
Ink
Kush or K2 (Synthetic Narcotics)
Batteries
Glue
Paint
Other Chemicals (Raid, Bug Spray, solvents, etc.,) approved by certifying official
ALERTS
Each handler is responsible for notifying the Certifying Official(s) of the type of alert (aggressive or passive), the Certifying Official(s) can expect.
There will be only one (1) negative response allowed. The handler will notify the Certifying Official(s) of an alert. After the second miss the certification will be terminated, and the team will be certified on the items found before the second miss.
TIME
There will be three (3) minutes for each search area, once the three minutes is called the search of that area is over.
SEARCH AREA
There will be two (2) stashes of contraband in each given area. The team must find one out of the two.
The area can be indoor, outdoor, or enclosed area, this area needs to be consistent with the number of items hidden, including a blank area. Inside this area there shall be a section for each item. There can be as few as one (1) item with a maximum of seven (7) items. Inside this area there shall be a section for each contraband odor. Three vehicles, one vehicle blank, can be used in place of a space.
EXAMPLE: If a K-9 team is going to certify on two (2) contraband odors, there will be three (3) sections, (three vehicles, one vehicle being blank) can be used in place of a space. each one containing the respective odors to be certified and a blank. The team will not be told which area is blank.
CERTIFICATION
Certification is valid for one calendar year. There will be a thirty-day waiting period to attempt to certify again if you fail certification.
CERTIFYING OFFICIALS
A Board of Director, Regional Certifying Official, Regional Representative, An Existing Certifying Official in Narcotics, Explosives, Police Service or Police Utility may certify a K-9 team in Contraband Detection. There may be more than one (1) of these officials at any certification but only one (1) is required for certification. All rulings of the certifying official are final.
CANINE PROGRAM VALIDATION/CERTIFICATION NNDDA will certify canine teams to a federal, state, or department standard. The team must submit a copy of the standard to the certifying official who must approve the standard prior to certifying the team. The standard must meet or exceed NNDDA Standards. The certifying official will attach a copy of the standard to the yellow certification sheet and retain it for future courtroom testimony. The certification will assist in validating other agencies’ standards.