Policy Text
GO 305 K-9 Unit Page 1 of 17 Rev. 06/03/25
GENERAL ORDER
305 CANINE (K-9) UNIT
REVISION DATE: 06/03/2025
BY ORDER OF THE CHIEF OF POLICE
SUNNY ISLES BEACH
POLICE DEPARTMENT ORIGINAL EFFECTIVE DATE: 01/14/23
PREVIOUS REVISIONS: 01/14/2023,
02/01/2023, 03/20/2023
RESCINDS: All previously issued directives REFERENCE : None
TABLE OF CONTENTS
A. PURPOSE ....................................................... ............................................................... .... 1
B. SCOPE ......................................................... ............................................................... ....... 2
C. POLICY ........................................................ ............................................................... ...... 2
D. DEFINITIONS ................................................... ............................................................... 2
E. PROCEDURE ..................................................... .............................................................. 2
F. K-9 HANDLER SELECT ION CRITERIA ................................ .................................... 3
G. K-9 SELECTION ................................................. ............................................................. 3
H. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS ................................... ........................................ 4
I. K-9 CALL-OUT PROCEDURES ....................................... ............................................ 4
J. DEPLOYMENT AND UTILIZATION OF K-9 ............................. ............................... 5
K. K-9 USAGE PROHIBITIONS ........................................ ................................................. 6
L. BUILDING SEARCHES ............................................. ..................................................... 6
M. TRACKING SEARCHES ............................................. ................................................... 7
N. AREA SEARCHES ................................................. .......................................................... 8
O. NARCOTICS DETECTION ........................................... ................................................. 8
P. EXPLOSIVE DETECTION ........................................... ............................................... 10
Q. CROWD CONTROL.................................................. .................................................... 11
R. APPREHENSION OF FLEEING OR RESISTING SUSPECTS ................. ............. 12
S. K-9 REPORT AND FORMS .......................................... ............................................... 13
T. BLOOD-BORNE PATHOGENS ......................................... ......................................... 14
U. CARE OF ASSIGNED K-9 .......................................... .................................................. 14
V. KENNELING ..................................................... ............................................................. 1 5
W. CONDUCT AROUND THE K-9 HANDLER AND THE K-9..................... ............... 15
X. INCAPACITATED K-9 HANDLER ..................................... ....................................... 16
Y. PUBLIC RELATIONS DEMONSTRATIONS ............................... ............................. 16
Z. K-9 RETIREMENT ................................................ ........................................................ 16
A. PURPOSE
The purpose of this directive is to establish guidelines for th e use of police canines (K-9s) and to provide information
to all members concerning their use, training, and capabilities .
K-9 Unit
General Order 305
GO 305 K-9 Unit Page 2 of 17 Rev. 06/03/25
B. SCOPE
This directive applies to all members of the department
C. POLICY
It is the policy of the City of Sunny Isles Beach Police Depart ment to use police K-9s as a valuable supplement to
police resources, due to their superior senses of smell and hea ring and their physical capabilities. However,
utilization of canines requires a dherence to procedures that pr operly control their use-o f-force potential and channel
their specialized capabilities in to legally acceptable crime pr evention and control activities.
D. DEFINITIONS
Canine (K-9): A highly trained dog which has been trained in a wide variety o f police related duties such as
tracking, building and area searches, criminal apprehension, ha ndler protection, explosive and narcotics detection,
all of which make use of the canine's speed, agility, and scent ing powers.
K-9 Apprehension: Gaining control and custody of a suspect that is the direct re sult or clearly due to the
deployment of a K-9.
K-9 Deployment: Use of a K-9 for purposes of finding, apprehending, containin g, or controlling a suspect or for
other purposes as authorized for K-9 use by this department. Me re presence of a canine at a crime or incident scene
does not constitute a deployment . Public relations demonstratio ns are excluded from this definition.
K-9 Handler: A member specially trained in the care, handling, and utiliza tion of a police K-9.
K-9 Trainer: A member certified by the State of Florida to instruct new can ine handlers in the care, handling,
training, and proper utilization of a police K-9.
K-9 Team: A single K-9 handler and a canine.
Standard Verbal Warning: A verbal alert issued at the scen e of an incident prior to a K -9 search.
E. PROCEDURE
1. The City of Sunny Isles Beach Police utilizes a handler control led K-9 methodology where through the training
of both handlers and K-9s, the handler maintains control of the K-9 through the use of verbal, hand and leash
commands.
2. K-9 teams will patrol in modified, specially equipped vehicles designated for such duty and clearly marked
"CAUTION K-9" in red lettering.
3. K-9 handlers are responsible for maintaining all equipment that is issued to them, in clean, functional condition
and having the equipment in the