Drug Detection and Missing Person Search 'Police Dogs' Now Systematically Trained

Opening of Korea's First 'Police Dog Comprehensive Training Center'
Active Deployment in Various Fields After 16 Weeks of Training
Training in a Clean and Safe Environment

Police dogs undergoing training at the Police Dog Comprehensive Training Center. / Provided by the Police Human Resources Development Institute

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] 'Police dogs' that play active roles at crime scenes such as drug detection and missing person searches will now receive training in a more systematic and safe environment.

The Police Human Resources Development Institute announced on the 13th that it has opened the 'Police Dog Comprehensive Training Center,' the first specialized training and education institution for police dogs and their handlers.

The introduction of 'Gyeonggong (犬公)' for investigations in Korea dates back over 40 years. In 1973, 13 dogs were first introduced to the police under the name 'investigation dogs.' Since the establishment of the Seoul Police Special Forces in 1983, detection teams have been operated in 13 police special forces units nationwide, utilizing police dogs for bomb detection and safety inspections. Since 2012, police dogs have also been introduced in the forensic field for evidence collection and missing person searches, demonstrating outstanding performance.

To systematically train police dogs, the Police Human Resources Development Institute began promoting the establishment of the Police Dog Comprehensive Training Center under its Academic Affairs Division in 2011. This opening is the result of nine years of effort.

National Police Agency Commissioner Min Gap-ryong is interacting with a police dog while inspecting the 'Police Dog Comprehensive Training Center' facility. / Photo by National Police Agency

The Comprehensive Training Center is equipped with optimal conditions for training police dogs. Located in Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, the center spans approximately 43,000㎡ (13,000 pyeong) and includes an administrative office overseeing training operations, a management building with a clinic for police dog treatment, kennels housing 80 police dogs with heating and cooling facilities and hygiene management, and an indoor training building equipped with facilities for environmental adaptation training, cognitive training, and other specialized police dog training.

Here, the dogs undergo intensive 16-week training programs and are raised to become police dogs ready for immediate deployment in security fields. After completing training, the police dogs are deployed to national key facilities and public places, engaging in various fields such as bomb detection, criminal investigations, and drug detection.

The Police Human Resources Development Institute emphasized, "With the construction of Korea's first Police Dog Comprehensive Training Center, systematic training has enabled a smooth supply of police dogs. Moving forward, we will continue to expand utilization areas, build domestic and international cooperation networks, and introduce cutting-edge systems and equipment to become a central hub for the training, education, and research of police dogs and their handlers."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.