Detector Dog Service Program Evaluation

December 2006

Notes

1. Detector Dog Operational and Service Manual. [ Return to text ]
2. Currency dogs are trained to detect ink for an average quantity of $10,000 or more, which represents the threshold amount for the reporting requirements as stated in the regulations. [ Return to text ]
3. As of October 2006, seven positions were vacant, one handler was on parental leave and five were on training. [ Return to text ]
4. DDS Results-based Management and Accountability Framework, 2006 [ Return to text ]
5. Costs included are purchase of dogs and dog supplies (e.g., food, kennel expenses, veterinarian expenses, etc.). [ Return to text ]
6. The handlers’ survey showed that 16.7% of handlers agreed that they had good communication with and received sufficient support from Enforcement Branch, 81.8% said they had good communication with and received sufficient support from DDLS staff. A number of the handlers interviewed during the site visits indicated they felt removed from the program and uninformed by Enforcement Branch on issues and topics concerning them and the program. [ Return to text ]
7. There is no direct contact between DDLS and regional contacts because the latter are not involved in any technical or training-related issues. [ Return to text ]
8. Interviews with regional management showed that a number of superintendents have limited experience in managing detector dog teams. While some were aware that a DDS managers’ course is available, they were unclear who would benefit from the course, and none of the interviewees had taken it. [ Return to text ]
9. Public Service Employee Survey (PSES 2005) for CBSA, http://www.hrma-agrh.gc.ca/survey-sondage/2005/results-resultats/83/result-e.htm [ Return to text ]
10. CBSA Interim Performance Management Policy, effective April 2005. [ Return to text ]
11. The information captured includes days of work, rest and vacation as well as the hours of overtime and time spent training with the dog. In the second part of this form, a summary of the number of searches performed and related seizures in different passenger (car, buses, trains, aircrafts searched, vessels) and commercial modes (truck/trailer/vans, container, rail cars) are captured. [ Return to text ]
12. This form (D-100) includes detailed information on location, quantity and value of drug, firearm or currency seizures. [ Return to text ]
13. Some activities listed on this form are rest, work, out of service, meetings, overtime, sick days, training and vacation. [ Return to text ]
14. For fiscal year 2004-2005, from January 1 to March 31, 2005. [ Return to text ]
15. The Scientific Working Group on Dog and Orthogonal Detector Guidelines is an international forum aiming at addressing the broadly expressed need to improve the performance, reliability and courtroom defensibility of detector dog teams and recommending best approaches to the use of detector dogs in conjunction with electronic detection devices. http://www.swgdog.org/ [ Return to text ]
16. DDLS' main focus for the CBSA has been to conduct refresher courses and dog replacement training. According to DDLS, the revenue from other organizations has helped finance one additional trainer and expansion of its kennel. From 2004-2005 to 2006-2007, 47% of all courses delivered by DDLS were given to CBSA teams (basic, replacement and refresher courses), the remaining to outside organizations. [ Return to text ]
17. CCRA Award of Excellence 2002-2003 for Service to Clients. [ Return to text ]
18. The National Port Risk Assessment (NRPA) takes place once a year and ranks ports according to the possible traffic of illegal drugs, firearms, and currency smuggling. According to the latest NPRA, the four highest risk ports are Pearson International Airport, Vancouver International Airport, Windsor-Ambassador Bridge and Trudeau International Airport. Detector dog teams’ placements are generally aligned with this assessment from an enforcement perspective. [ Return to text ]
19. U.S. Census Bureau, http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbsum.html [ Return to text ]
20. In order to conduct this analysis of the data, the content of the DDS database was reviewed, tested, and, in some cases, corrected. [ Return to text ]
21. In 2005-2006, 29% of the lowest value seizures were worth less than $100 and 18% less than $50. [ Return to text ]
22. This refers to one seizure valued at $204M in 1999-2000 and one seizure worth $100M in 2000-2001. [ Return to text ]
23. In 2003-2004, the value seized is boosted by two large seizures: $4.8 million out of $6.4 millions were seized in two occasions, i.e., a seizure of $3.7 million and another one of $1.1 million. [ Return to text ]
24. In 2005-2006, over $1.7 million in undeclared currency was forfeited as suspected proceeds of crime and nearly $14,750 collected as penalties. [ Return to text ]
25. The first book in the series entitled Ma rencontre avec Twister appeared on the reading list for New Brunswick’s public library kids’ 2006 Summer Reading Club. The second book in the series called Twister, mon chien détecteur was a top-ten finalist in the 2006/2007 French-language fiction category of the Atlantic region Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award. The award is a literary program designed for young readers in Atlantic Canada. Each year, thousands of children Grades Four to Six) read and vote for the winners. http://www.hackmatack.ca/about.html [ Return to text ]
26. FPA dogs are not specifically trained to find khat; however, since they are trained to detect a variety of plants, they have been able to intercept this drug. [ Return to text ]
27. Approximately $225,000 DDLS revenue from training external organizations’ detector dog teams is not included. [ Return to text ]
28. Regions use funds from the Canada Drug Strategy and the Anti-smuggling Initiative to cover some of the costs for maintaining D/F detector dog teams. [ Return to text ]
29. International currency has been converted to Canadian dollars throughout this section. [ Return to text ]
30. Between 25% and 50% of dogs are returned to breeders by the end of this period. [ Return to text ]
31. http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/border_security/canines/detector_dogs/faq.xml [ Return to text ]
32. Calculations are based on two pieces of luggage per passenger and around 200 passengers per flight. [ Return to text ]
33. This represents about three hours in a 9,63-hour workday. [ Return to text ]
34. “Dogs versus machine, nose to nose: when it comes to portability, dogs win; dogs can sniff, machines can detect”, Toronto Star, August 7, 2005 [ Return to text ]
35. Stanley Coren, professor of psychology at the University of B.C. who has written a bestselling series of books on dogs such as : How Dogs Think, What the World Looks Like to Them and Why They Act the Way They Do. [ Return to text ]
36. This is an initiative in cooperation with the British section of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). [ Return to text ]
37. “Dogs versus machine, nose to nose: when it comes to portability, dogs win; dogs can sniff, machines can detect”, Toronto Star, August 7, 2005. [ Return to text ]
38. “Applications of electronic noses and tongues in food analysis”, International Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2004, 39, pp.587–604. [ Return to text ]
39. http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/06oct_enose.htm [ Return to text ]
40. “Explosive vapour detection prevents bombs on board”, OE Reports 172 - April 1998,  http://www.spie.org/web/oer/april/apr98/fred.html [ Return to text ]
41. http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rpp/0607/bsa-asf/bsa-asf02_e.asp#s2b [ Return to text ]
42. http://www.cse-cst.gc.ca/nat-sec/can-national-security-policy-e.html [ Return to text ]
43. One metric tonne equals about 996 kilograms. [ Return to text ]
44. Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (2004), Canada-United States Border Drug Threat Assessment, October 2004 [ Return to text ]
45. Criminal Intelligence Service Canada (2004), Illicit Movement of Firearms, CISC National Monitored Issues [ Return to text ]
46. Coalition for Gun Control (2006), Combating The Illegal Gun Trade [ Return to text ]
47. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (2003), Background information: What is money laundering?  Organized Crime Directorate, Intelligence Branch. [ Return to text ]