International exercise of handlers and service dogs K9

     From 18 to 20 October, an international tactical exercise for handlers and their service dogs (K9), organised by the Žilina Municipal Police, took place in Žilina. Units from Belgium, Germany, Poland and, of course, Slovakia, including special and municipal police forces, took part in this highly professional event. The 5th Special Forces Regiment (5th SFR) was also represented by an operator.
     The exercise was conducted under realistic, high-stress conditions, which faithfully simulated various tactical situations. In the civil defence shelter, the units conducted object searches to detect and eliminate unauthorised persons in a confined area. In the car park, a simulation of the apprehension of an armed offender was carried out, focusing on the coordination between handler and service dog. At a third location, on a railway track, an operation against an aggressive group of troublemakers was modelled, with muzzled service dog work and crowd control procedures being practised.
     The exercise provided the participating units with new operational knowledge and experience, which will contribute to increasing the effectiveness of their operations in real conditions. In addition to the tactical improvement, the international exchange of experience and the strengthening of mutual professional relations on an international level were an important added value.