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SPECIAL REPORT K9 Standards & Training l K9 Staffng Analysis For example, people under the infuence of drugs are still sleeping until about 1400 hours. Tis is also the time when the 75,000 students in the Pasco County schools let out, so law enforcement activity increased with unsupervised children, etc. In the afternoon, there is also an increase when people arrive home from work and discover a crime has occurred. A Heat Map with colored ���hot spots��� showed where most of the activity occurred (in the populated western part of the county and around one of the larger cities in the northeastern section) and where K9 deputies should be located when not on calls. Another graph also showed when concurrent related K9 calls happened. For example, one Friday night 12 calls occurred during the 2300 hour, an anomaly. A K9 Impact Graph showed obligated time by types of calls, when a K9 was present and when a K9 was not present. Non-K9 obligated time increased 31 percent on calls when K9s were deployed. Tis means on the average, non-K9 units spent 277 minutes (cumulative of all deputies on scene) on a call when K9 teams were not deployed, and 410 minutes on a call with K9 teams were deployed. A Calls Distribution by Location Graph indicated there were no major differences on distribution of calls by location between morning (5am to 5pm) and night (5pm to 5am). When compared, graphs of all 38 types of K9 calls by the hour for both the west and east county showed the western part of the county, where most of the population was located, had more K9 coverage than the east, which included swamps and more rural settings. Recommendations In the review of the collected data, the Sherif���s Ofce���s Intelligence-led Policing Section ofered recommendations for four separate scheduling changes. Proposed Schedule A ��� Have K9 teams on duty between 1000 and 1930 every day, with Tuffy tactical gear drawers are so durable they outlast our vehicles. -Sgt. Nate Harris, La Plata County Sheriff You need to know that your expensive gear is not only protected but is also at your ���ngertips in a moment���s notice. That���s why Tuffy Security Products offers state-of-theart secure gear organization and storage solutions that ���t your speci���c needs. TACTICAL GEAR SECURITY DRAWERS TUFFY �� SECURITY PRODUCTS TACTICAL SECURITY LOCKBOX COMMUNICATIONS CONSOLES SERIOUS THEFT PROTECTION no scheduling changes of K9 teams between 1900 and 0430 hours. Tis action would decrease K9 total obligated hours by 9 percent. Te reduction of time is due to shorter response time because there would be a unit on duty, available on day shift only. Proposed Schedule B ��� Add a K9 team on days where high obligation hours peak: Monday, Tuesday and Saturday. Scheduling hours would be between 1900 and 0430 hours; this action would decrease K9 obligated hours by 11 percent. Te reduction of time is due to having K9 teams on duty. Proposed Schedule C ��� Add two K9 teams, with one team on duty every day shift. Te scheduling hours would be between 1900 and 0430 hours. Tis action would decrease each K9 team���s total obligated hours by 54 percent. Such a reduction of time is due to having more units on duty during current K9 team scheduled hours. Terefore, the average number of K9 teams working per night would double. Proposed Schedule D ��� Add two K9 teams. Diferent from Schedule C, hours would have one K9 team added between 1000 to 1930 hours and one added between 1900 and 0430 hours. Tis action will decrease K9 obligated hours by 51 percent. Te reduction time is due to having more units on duty, one on day shift and one on night shift. Overall, if the number of K9 teams was increased, the average number of calls for service assisted/responded by K9 would increase by about 40 percent. Te benefts of shifting two patrol units to become K9 teams would beneft both patrol and K9 operations by having these K9 teams specialized in both functional areas. K9 obligated time can be reduced anywhere from 9���54 percent of the current obligated time depending on the proposed recommendation selected. Te deployment of K9 teams increases the probability of closure of cases by arrest. Furthermore, K9 teams will be available to respond to 48 percent more calls for service if a unit was available 1000 to 1930 hours. Jim Weiss is a retired lieutenant from the Brook Park, Ohio, Police Department and a frequent contributor to Tactical Response. Mickey Davis is a California-based writer and author. Use your smartphone to view Tuffy���s tactical gear MADE IN USA security drawers or browse all our solutions at pro.tuffyproducts.com/tr | 866.318.8339 Circle Reader Service #16 or click on EInfo at www.trmagonline.com 26 Tactical Response Mar-Apr 2013 Post your comments on this story by visiting www.trmagonline.com