The increased threat of violence is a harsh reality we face on a daily basis. Often, these threats are imperceptible by the human senses.

However, the difficult task of uncovering contraband or explosives is made easier thanks to our trusty canines and their heightened sense of smell.

In 2010, Port of South Louisiana (PSL) entered into an agreement with St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff’s Office to procure a dog for the purpose of narcotics detection. A year later, a Black Shepherd named Roid was acquired. In January of this year, the Port and Sheriff’s Office jointly purchased another dog, Titus, a Belgian Malinois, who is being trained to become a patrol/explosives K-9.

Both dogs are available to either agency at any time and, especially for PSL, at any location within its jurisdiction.

Law enforcement K-9s like Roid and Titus are trained to associate certain odors with a favorite toy. At first, the toy is used between the handler and the dog for fun games of tug-of-war. Later, the toy is wrapped (or filled) with a target smell (whether narcotic or explosive) to establish the connection between the smell and the toy.

Then, it’s simply a game of hide-and-seek in which the reward for finding the toy is another fun game of tug-of-war. Depending on which detection the dog is being trained for, the dog is taught to give either an aggressive alert signal (digging and pawing on the spot where it detects the “toy”) or a passive alert signal (simply sitting by the location where the “toy” is identified).

Through successive approximation, the distance at which the target is placed can be increased.

Lt. Monty Adams and his 6-year-old K-9 Roid trained daily for five months in the detection of narcotics like marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamines and MDMAs. To become a narcotics certified K-9, Roid was expected to excel in search, indication and obedience.

The test takes about an hour to complete. The amount of narcotics Roid can detect can be as little as residue on a cotton ball. On the other hand, Sgt. Stephen Hefler and his 18-month-old K-9 Titus are training on detection of explosive materials, such as gun powders, commercial dynamite, ammonium nitrate, C-4, Flex-X, Semtex, TNT, military dynamite, primer cord, det cord, slurries, water gels and emulsions.

The minimum amount of explosive material that can be detected by this K-9 is 4 ounces (or ¼ pound). In addition, Titus is also being trained to be a patrol K-9, which will allow him to locate, pursue and subdue an assailant if the need arises.

His training and certification will take longer because his preparation is so much more extensive.

K-9s are trained in a wide variety of buildings and rooms, vehicles, packages and spaces. Contrary to what one might think, the higher the content of the target, the more difficult it is on the K-9 to detect because his sense of smell becomes overwhelmed.

Roid and Titus live with and train under the direction of his respective handler.

After certification, each is required to have a training session once a week, though training is reinforced, for the most part, on a daily basis with impromptu search and locate exercises.

Law enforcement dogs cost anywhere from $10,000 to $15,000 to obtain and train. They are imported from places like Germany, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic, and each must have a passport before entering the Unites States.

Other notable K9 dog breeds include German Shepherd Dogs, Bloodhounds, Beagles, Dutch Shepherds and Labrador Retrievers.

Paul Aucoin is executive director of the Port of South Louisiana. For more information, call 985-652-9278.