Thiruvananthapuram: The K-9 dog unit of the Kerala Police is preparing to expand squad by acquiring 38 puppies, aiming to enhance its ability to trace drug users, detect explosives, and strengthen overall operational efficiency. The new additions will include some of the most trusted breeds used by security forces, such as Belgian Malinois, Labradors, and German Shepherds.

The decision to purchase these puppies from the breeding centres of paramilitary forces like the CRPF, SSB, and BSF was made to address the current shortage of dogs in the force. Procurement from these agencies requires prior permission from the Union Home Ministry.

Out of the 38 puppies, 12 will be trained for the tracker category, 17 will be trained to detect explosives, 6 will be capable of detecting narcotics, 2 will be trained to detect human corpses, and 1 dog will be trained specifically for alcohol detection.

Currently, the K-9 squad comprises 160 dogs, but only 142 are in active service. Four are undergoing training, while 14 are temporarily out of duty due to reasons like retirement, illness, or age, most of them based in Thrissur.

Dr B S Suman, the unit's veterinary surgeon, explained that the decision to buy puppies under three months old was taken because of the excellent training facilities available within the unit. The cost of a puppy up to three months old is around Rs 50,000, while trained dogs over nine months old are priced between Rs 1.5 lakh and Rs 8.5 lakh, depending on their skills and specialisations.

With this expansion, the state’s police dog squad is expected to improve its performance in narcotics control, crime tracking, and disaster response efforts.