K9 Critical Issues-September 2025 by Dirigo Safety, LLC

Cost: $279

This course is focused for new and existing K-9 Handlers, Supervisors, and K-9 Trainers to provide a much-needed and often Accredited required K-9 update. Participants will be actively engaged using videos, classroom exercises, and classroom scenarios. Handlers are NOT required to bring their dog, however, there will be frequent breaks during the class so handlers can check and exercise their dogs.

• Block #1 – Participant Introductions and purpose of K-9 Units.

• Block #2 – K-9 Unit Leadership, Policy, Culture, and Liability.

• Block #3 – Training, Use of Force, Drug/Explosive Searches, and other deployments.

• Block #4 – Media, Public Relations, Budgets, and next steps.

Course Objectives:  Handlers/Supervisors in this course will be exposed to:

• Does the community need a K-9 and why?

• K-9 Unit Leadership.

• K-9 Liability Aspects, Mutual Aid Issues.

• K-9 Culture and Social Media.

• Basic training, certifications, and in-service scenario-based training.

• Media and Public Relations.

• Use of Force and Deployment- How is the Graham Standard changing for K-9.

• Search policy.

• Care and Maintenance/FLSA issues.

• Budget Preparation.

• Future of K-9; Next Step.