G4S Secure Solutions (UK) (‘G4S’), the UK’s leading security company, has launched a new dog handling service to meet the growing demand for this form of specialist security solution. G4S Canine Security Services has teams of professional dog handlers, whose dogs offer both patrol and detection services to compliment G4S’ existing portfolio of security solutions.
G4S’ search dog and handler teams specialise in the identification of explosives or narcotics as well as human detection and are ideally suited for deployment in the events, transport, critical national infrastructure, custody and immigration environments.
The new business will enable clients to cost-effectively mitigate the growing range of risks facing enterprises including the current threat from explosives such as Pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), which was used in the failed ‘cartridge’ bombs.
The specialist dog handler teams of G4S Canine Services are trained and assessed to the industry recognised BS 8157-1:2009 standard for general purpose patrol dogs. In addition to specialist drug or explosive detection skills, these dogs provide an additional deterrent to supplement uniformed security presence and are extremely cost effective. Likewise, the detection dog handlers are trained and assessed to BS 8157-2:2010 code of practice.
John Whitwam, Managing Director of G4S Canine Security Services, comments: “The last few weeks have highlighted the continued threat that organisations face from terrorism, along with the multitude of other security concerns. Our canine services teams provide an alternative and cost-effectives means of enhancing existing security measures. We have teams trained in a range of specialist skills including detecting explosives such as PETN.
“Our existing clients have already expressed considerable interest in the new service, particularly those with organisations operating in environments at risk of terrorist activity or where there is a requirement to detect narcotics. We believe that our highly trained and professional dog handlers, coupled with the impressive skills of the detection and protection dogs will make for a compelling proposition.”
G4S Canine Services trains its dogs and handlers at its newly developed training centre in Luton Hoo, Bedfordshire. Training is delivered by highly experienced National Association of Security Dog Users (NASDU) approved dog trainers with industry-leading qualifications and extensive operational experience.
G4S is also offering professional consultancy for clients investigating the feasibility of establishing their own domestic or international canine teams.
In a developing canine security market, G4S Canine Security Services is differentiated by the quality of its training and the professionalism of the dog handler teams. It can also draw on resources from across G4S’ other business divisions to offer comprehensive, integrated security solutions.