Some police dogs now have cameras, too
MILWAUKEE — Police dogs have always helped their human counterparts through their eyes and nose, and now some of the dogs are getting their own backup — cameras that transmit live video.
The devices generally attach to dogs’ backs on a vest and transmit video to a handler watching from a screen, possibly on their wrist or around their necks. It’s so the officers can better assess what they are up against before they go into a situation.
“If we have a really close encounter with armed people it doesn’t work out well for anyone,” said Shawn Gore, Portland, Oregon, police K-9 officer. “If we can gain distance it gives us lots of options to negotiate and de-escalate.”
David Ferland, executive director for the United States Police Canine Association, a training program for police dogs, said departments generally use the cameras when dogs go out to look for suspects, missing people or explosives — for the dog’s safety and for intelligence gathering.