TEST NAME | APPLICABLE TEAM(S) |
Basic Scent Recognition | Mold, Weapons, Termites, Bed bugs |
Burned Matrix | Accelerants |
Room Search | Explosives, Accelerants, Mold, Narcotics, Termites, Bed bugs |
Vehicle Search | Explosive and Narcotics |
Luggage | Explosives, Narcotics and Bed bugs |
Suspect Line Up | Explosives and Accelerants |
GENERAL
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Finds may be provided by WDDO or the requesting agency.
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Pseudo scents shall not be used for certification tests.
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For narcotics and explosives detection, each find should be less than two years old or authenticated by an approved local, State or Federal lab prior to use in a certification. A purity of 85% or greater is recommended.
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For narcotics and explosives detection, each hide should contain at least one (1) gram of the item to be detected with a maximum of 100 grams for any one test.
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For accelerant detection, any ignitable liquid that is a derivative of raw petroleum may be used. The amount of accelerant used for hides (other than the Burned Matrix test) should be one drop or approximately 5 ul. The following list is a suggestion for use as accelerant hides:
- Diesel fuel – any grade, on or off road
- Kerosene – scented or non scented – any grade
- Gasoline – evaporated to 50% of its original volume
- Fuel Oil/Lamp Oil – any grade (lamp oil may be scented or unscented)
- Charcoal lighter fluid=
- Cigarette lighter fluid
- Other accelerants may be used if approved by the Master Trainer administering the test.
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At the discretion of the Certified Master Trainer and if requested by the handler’s agency, other substances may be incorporated into a team’s test procedure.
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For explosives detection, it shall be acceptable to use NESTT, (Non Explosives for Security Training & Testing), available from Ray Allen Inc. or equivalent product. All explosive detection items shall demonstrate the ability to locate the odors of the explosives PETN, RDX, TNT, and the oxidizers, KNO2 (nitrate) and KCLO3 (chlorate). Additional scents may be incorporated into a team’s testing if approved by the Certified Master Trainer.
- For termite detection testing, any species of termite is acceptable. The termite species that is the most prevalent in the dog’s local area may be used, however, it shall be at the sole discretion of the Certified Master Trainer as to which species is used.
- Each hide used for termite detection testing shall contain a minimum of twenty and a maximum of 50 termites and a minimal amount of debris from the termite habitat.
- For bedbug detection, each hide shall contain a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 20 Bed Bugs at any stage of growth or viable growth.
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For mold detection teams, Mould Works Training Aids pure live species Kits (or comparable product) shall be used for all hides. These containers shall contain mold colonies with visible growth and adequate hydration.
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Scented rewards shall not be used during certification testing.
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For narcotic, explosives, mold, termite and bedbug detection all finds shall be placed in the search area at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the test.
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For accelerant detection, hides shall be allowed time to dry so that no visible indication of the hide’s location is apparent.
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Ideally, all search areas should be swept by the dog(s) to be tested prior to placement of the hides or by another previously certified team to reduce the potential of contamination interference and to randomize dog odor if multiple dogs are to be tested in the same area. It shall be the option of the tested team whether to search an area prior to placement of hides.
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Results of the certification tests shall be recorded as pass or fail rather than judgments of style.
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The maximum time to complete an individual search should be less than five minutes but disqualification due to time should be left to the discretion of the Certified Master Trainer.
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Certification is for the handler and the dog as a team. If the dog changes handlers or the handler is matched with a new dog then a new certification is required.
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A detection team which fails to complete the certification process is allowed to retest within 24 hours. A detection team that fails in its second attempt at certification should wait at least 30 days (and complete additional training) before making another attempt to certify.
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Any complaints or suggestions regarding how the certification was conducted should be sent in writing to the Certified Master Trainer who monitored the test, within two weeks of the completion of the test.
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The person placing the hides for each test shall record on the appropriate CERTIFICATION TEST FORM, the location of hides prior to commencement of the test. The Certified Master trainer monitoring the test shall not observe the placement of hides, nor have any knowledge as to the number or placement of hides or whether any hides are placed.
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The Certified Master Trainer shall make the document listing the location of hides available to the tested handler immediately upon completion of the testing if so requested by the tested handler.
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The person who placed the hides shall not be present in the testing area during the test.
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No persons shall be allowed to offer advice or cues to the tested handler or the tested canine.
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No person other than the Certified Master Trainer and test proctor is allowed to communicate in any manner with the tested handler or canine during the testing. If the Certified Master Trainer determines that such communication takes place and that the communication has substantially affected the team’s performance the team may be disqualified.
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The Certified Master Trainer shall witness the entire test. At no time shall observers or witnesses be allowed to interfere with the tested team’s movements or with the observation or view of the Certified Master Trainer as he or she observes the tested team. The tested handler may request that an additional witness observe the test. The handler shall be allowed to choose this additional witness. The chosen witness may not be the same person that placed the hides for the test. It shall be at the sole discretion of the Certified Master Trainer as to how many witnesses, if any, in addition to this one are allowed in the test area during the test.
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In all tests, it is the sole responsibility of the tested handler to ensure that the area(s) or containers on which the canine alerts are correctly communicated to the Certified Master Trainer. It shall be the sole responsibility of the tested handler to determine where and if the tested canine alerts and/or indicates that it has detected a target odor. The tested handler shall be the only person to determine and interpret the tested canine’s alert.
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The only record of test results that will be preserved after tabulation of a team’s score shall be Pass or Fail. All other documents and records, including photographs, videos or other records pertaining to the testing shall be discarded upon completion of the testing and review process.
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The term “Certified Master Trainer” refers to any individual who has met all experiential and educational requirements set out by and is properly certified by WDDO.
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All tests administered by WDDO shall be “double blind”. Double blind means that neither the tested handler nor the Certified Master Trainer nor anyone else observing the test shall have knowledge of where hides are located or if hides are or are not present within the testing area.
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All hides shall be placed by a disinterested party who shall depart the testing area after placement of the hides and shall not return until testing is complete.
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Upon completion (or stopping of the testing procedure by the Certified Master Trainer), the person who placed the hides shall, at the direction of the Certified Master Trainer, return to the testing area and indicate to the Certified Master Trainer where hides, if any were located.
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The person placing the hides for the test shall be a person with a working knowledge of scent detection K9 handling and training.
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A written record of where hides were placed (or the fact that no hides were placed) for the test shall be made by the person placing the hides. This written record is to be presented to the Certified Master Trainer upon the trainer’s signal that the testing procedure has ended.
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The following method is to be used in determining how many hides, if any, are to be placed in all tests that incorporate rooms and vehicles:
- A six sided dice is to be rolled and the number used to determine how many hides, if any, are used according to the following schedule for narcotic and explosives detection teams:
- If a one is rolled one hide is be placed on one of the three vehicles and one is placed in one of the three rooms.
- If a two is rolled two hides are placed, one each on two of the three vehicles and two hides are placed, one in each of two of the three rooms.
- If a three is rolled two hides are placed in two of the three vehicles and one is placed in one of the three rooms.
- A four means that no hides are placed in the vehicles and one is placed in one of the three rooms.
- A five means that one hide is placed in one of the vehicles and none are placed in either of the rooms.
- A six means that no hides are placed in any rooms or vehicles.
- A six sided dice is to be rolled and the number used to determine how many hides, if any, are used according to the following schedule for narcotic and explosives detection teams:
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Scoring for all tests incorporating rooms and vehicles tests shall be calculated as follows:
- Each team starts the test with a zero score and points are added for correctly identifying rooms and vehicles as blank or as containing hides.
- A point value for each room or vehicle is calculated by adding together the total number of rooms and vehicles and dividing this number into 100.
- The result of this calculation is the value used in score calculations to represent each room or vehicle.
- If a team correctly identifies a room or vehicle as blank, the percentage assigned to that room is added to the team’s total score.
- If a team fails to correctly identify a room as containing a hide, then the percentage assigned to that room is deducted from the team’s score.
- If a team erroneously identifies a room or vehicle as containing a hide when it does not, then the percentage value assigned to that room or vehicle is deducted from the team’s score for that phase of the test.
- The minimum score required for passing certification testing is 66 and 1/3 points.
- TEST PROCEDURES
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Basic Scent Recognition- Explosive, Accelerant, Mold, Weapons, Narcotics and Termites Scent boards are constructed for each tested team as follows; on a ten-foot long 2 X 4, ten (10) approximately three inch long pieces of two inch PVC pipe are evenly spaced and mounted vertically on the 2 X 4. Each pipe has a properly fitting cap which has at least three holes drilled through. These holes are to be one eighth of an inch in diameter, minimum. The scent board should resemble the drawing below.
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The choice as to how many of the pipes will contain hides is made as follows:
- A six sided dice is rolled and if a one is rolled, one pipe is made hot, a two means that two pipes are made hot and a three means that three pipes are made hot. If a six is rolled, none of the pipes are to contain the target odor.
- If a four or five is rolled, the dice is rolled again until a one, two, three or six is rolled.
- Hides are to be spaced with at least one blank pipe on either side, unless the hide is placed on the end of the board, in which case at least one blank pipe shall be nearest the end pipe.
- A clean board is to be utilized for each team. One, two or three of the pipes are to contain hides of the appropriate substance. The hides are to be randomly placed on the boards, with at least one blank container between each hide.
- Teams must correctly identify all pipes that contain the hides and all that are blank with no false indications to achieve certification. Teams that do not achieve a passing score on this basic scent recognition test are not allowed to continue to the remainder of the testing procedure.
- Burned Matrix – Accelerants
Five unused, one-quart, metal paint cans shall be prepared; each can shall contain the following items:
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Pine wood
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Styrofoam
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Plastic
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Carpet and Pad
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Paper
An open flame is applied to the can contents. The flame is applied until substantial pyrolization of the can’s contents is caused. 1t shall be at the discretion of the certified trainer whether the can’s contents are sufficiently pyrolized. It shall be acceptable to use either a propane or butane fired torch as the heat source for preparing the cans.In the cans that are selected to be made hot, approximately one teaspoon of accelerant is poured onto the pyrolized contents and ignited. The accelerant is allowed to burn for 15 to 30 seconds and a cover is then placed on the can to extinguish the fire. The can(s) is allowed to cool to room temperature before being presented to a tested team. The contents of this can are to be burned in the same manner as the cans intended for use as blanks.The team is to identify by assigned number which can(s) contain the accelerant residue and which cans are blank.The cans are to be placed on the floor at least 24 to 36 inches apart.
Selection of the number of cans to make hot is done as follows:
A six sided dice is rolled and if a one is rolled, one can is made hot, a two means that two cans are made hot, a three means that three cans are made hot. The numbers four and five are not used and if a four or five is rolled the dice is rolled again, until a number other than a four or five is rolled. If a six is rolled, none of the cans are to contain accelerant residue.
Scoring for the burned matrix phase shall be calculated as follows:
Each team begins the test with a score of zero.For each can correctly identified as either blank or hot, 20 points is added to the team’s score.A minimum score of eighty points is required to achieve certification.
Room Search – Explosives, Accelerant, Mold, Weapons, Narcotics and Termites
At least three rooms shall be used. Within each of the determined number of rooms, one hide is concealed from view. The number of hides used is determined by the method outlined in number 32 above.The placement of hides is at the discretion of the certified trainer. However, due consideration as to the placement of hides should be given to the odor for which the teams is trained.In addition to locating the hide(s), the detection team is to notify the certified trainer which room(s) is blank.
Vehicle Search – Explosive, Weapons and Narcotics
At least three vehicles shall be used. On each of the determined number of vehicles, one hide is concealed from view. The number hides used is determined by the method outlined above.The placement of hides is at the discretion of the certified trainer. However, due consideration as to the placement of hides should be given to the odor for which the teams is trained.In addition to locating the hide(s), the detection team is to notify the certified trainer which vehicle(s) is blank.
Luggage – Weapons, Narcotics, Explosives
Five pieces of used luggage shall be incorporated into this test.Selection of the number of pieces of luggage to make “hot’ is done as follows:
A dice is rolled and if a one or two is rolled, one piece of luggage is made hot. If a three or four is rolled, two of the five pieces are made hot, if a five or six is rolled; none of the luggage is made hot.
The team is to identify which pieces of luggage, if any, contain hides and which are blank.A maximum of three pieces of luggage is to be made hot and the hot luggage is to be separated from other pieces of hot luggage by at least one piece of blank luggage. Scoring for the luggage phase shall be calculated as follows:
Each team begins the test with a score of zero.For each piece of luggage correctly identified as either blank or hot, 20 points is added to the team’s score.A minimum score of eighty points is required to achieve certification.
Suspect Line Up – Explosives, Accelerants
The team is presented with five individuals, standing.On one shoe or pants cuff of the person chosen as the “suspect” and using the methodology as outlined below, the target substance is placed for accelerant detection teams or is otherwise placed in the clothing as deemed appropriate by the certified trainer for the team being tested.The tested team is asked to identify which person(s) has the target odor on his/her clothing or person and to identify which person(s) have no target odor on their clothing.Selection of the number of “suspects” to make “hot’ is done as follows:
Using people for this test is preferred, however if in the judgment of the certified trainer, the use of persons is not feasible or practicable, piles of used clothing may be used as an alternative. If clothing is used as a substitute, five separate piles shall be used. Clothing used should be clean and free of contamination.