City to hire canines, handlers for police work and security

City Hall would spend P875,000 for the services of five bomb-sniffing and two drug-sniffing dogs to help the City Police in law enforcement and security activities from August until yearend.

This means that the city would pay P35,000 or more than P1,000 a day for every dog-and-handler team. Mayor Tomas Osmeña already approved the allocation, which would be taken from Pagcor Funds.

The City Council yesterday approved the resolution of councilor Sylvan “Jack” Jakosalem to take the services of these sniffing dogs and their trainers or handlers.

Jakosalem said the budget approved for the purpose includes the food, maintenance and veterinary requirements, for the dogs and their handlers.

Bomb detection dogs and drug sniffing teams are trained for police work at airports, ports, parks, terminals, and malls. Police departments worldwide have been using these kinds of trained dog in police operations.

In court hearings, however, it is the handler that would testify about his dog’s discovery of drugs or explosives. — Rene U. Borromeo/RAE