27-07-2025
Silent Bomb Detectors: Delhi Police Dogs Trained Not To Bark When They Find Explosives, Ahead Of Independence Day
Sub-Inspector Jitendra Dogra, who leads the Delhi Police Dog Squad, said that their dogs are now being trained to stay quiet when they find explosives. This is because some explosives can go off if there's a loud noise, like barking.
"Now, we teach our dogs to stay calm and show signs like wagging their tail or looking at their handler when they detect something suspicious," he explained.
The Delhi Police Dog Squad has 64 dogs, 58 trained to find explosives, 3 to detect drugs, and 3 to track down criminals. These dogs are posted at important places like the Red Fort and Chandni Chowk to help keep everyone safe during the Independence Day celebrations.
The 64 dogs belong to four different breeds: 22 Labradors, 17 Belgian Malinois, 16 German Shepherds and 9 Golden Retrievers. Around 40 per cent of the squad's dogs are female and the remaining 60 per cent are male.
The Delhi Police is also expanding its dog squad. A plan is underway to add 30 more dogs. In 2024, 13 dogs were already inducted. While some dogs come from the Army, many are purchased through private tenders. Last year, each dog cost around Rs 5 lakh.
The dog squad functions 24/7. Handlers and dogs are always on call to respond to alerts, check unattended bags, and sweep key locations. The dogs are also deployed at large public events throughout the year, such as Ram Lila, Janmashtami, and Eid.
There are 121 personnel in the squad, including 1 sub-inspector, 28 assistant sub-inspectors, 53 head constables, and 39 constables--all trained as dog handlers.
The main headquarters of the squad is in Model Town, with nine district units spread across East, Southwest, Dwarka, Northwest, Central, North, New Delhi and NortheastDelhi. Each unit has kennels equipped with air coolers and washrooms to ensure the comfort and well-being of the dogs.
Assistant Sub-Inspector Ashok Kumar, a dog handler with Delhi Police, said, "The dog has to be raised like a child; the behaviour of any dog depends on its mood, but we come to know if our dog has any problem or not. In the morning when we take it out of its kennel, it starts playing, which means it is happy; otherwise, we understand that its health is not good, after which we do its checkup. If needed, we take it to the hospital as well. Every day we train and practice with our dogs, clean them, and feed them, and if we get a call, we take them to the spot."
