A Study of Potential Accuracy Differences in Single and Dual-Purpose Narcotics Detection Canines
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Authors
Rice, Brian Lee
Issue Date
2020-12
Type
Dissertation
Language
en_US
Keywords
Case studies , Detector dogs , Dissertations, Academic--United States , Drug control , False alarms , Police dogs
Alternative Title
Abstract
Law enforcement agencies have used police canines for many years to help combat the flow of illegal narcotics across the United States. In many cases, narcotics detection canines can give the necessary probable cause needed to perform a search without a warrant. Case law has repeatedly approved the use of canines for this purpose if they are properly trained and certified, but defense attorneys still attack the accuracy of canines in an attempt to win their cases. Only a few studies have been completed that address the accuracy of narcotics detection canines and the results have varied widely. Studies conducted with narcotics detection canines focused on factors such as breed, sex, level of training, type of narcotics to be searched, and the area to be searched. None of the studies looked at any possible accuracy differences between single-purpose and dual-purpose narcotics detection canines. Single purpose canines are only used for narcotics detection whereas dual-purpose canines are used for multiple tasks. This research involved the testing of 40 narcotics detection canines, 20 single-purpose and 20 dual-purpose, to determine if there were any differences in accuracy. This study looked at overall accuracy and false alert rates from canines during the testing procedure. The results indicated that there were no statistically significant differences in the accuracy rates or false alert rates of single-purpose and dual-purpose narcotics detection canines.
Keywords: detection canine accuracy, canine false alert rate, single-purpose canine, dual-purpose canine
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This dissertation is protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States (Public Law 94-553, revised in 1976). Consistent with fair use as defined in the Copyright Laws, brief quotations from this material are allowed with proper acknowledgement. Use of the materials for financial gain with the author's expressed written permissions is not allowed.