Departments across USA using pitbulls to apprehend criminals and detect narcotics

Departments across the country are using the dogs to detect narcotics and apprehend criminals, from New York and Georgia to Washington
Police departments around the country are adopting pit bulls as police dogs, saving thousands of dollars on pure breeds and rescuing the animals from euthanasia.
Departments including Poughkeepsie in New York, Washougal in Washington, Chattahoochee Hills in Georgia and Texas are adopting pit bulls from animal shelters, instead of buying and training expensive pure breed dogs.
“Police departments are finally getting it,” said a campaign group called Protect Pit bulls from Breed Specific Legislation (BSL) on Facebook.
"Instead of spending $10,000 to $15,000 for a trained Belgian [Malinois] or GSD [German Shepherd], they are now taking pit bulls from shelters and training them, and they are proving themselves to be amazing police and military K9s."
Dogs are selected from shelter Austin Pets Alive! and trained by Universal K9, before being placed in police departments around the country at no charge.
The New York-based Animal Farm Foundation provides a sponsorship to Universal K9 to contribute to the cost of the training. Since the program started two years ago, 11 pit bulls have been placed with police departments.

(Animal Farm Foundation)
The animals learn to detect narcotics, explosives as well as arson detection and to track missing persons.
“Any dog that has the drive, confidence, and desire to work can do it. Breed does not dictate a dog’s ability to work,” explained Universal K9 founder Brad Croft on a blog for the Animal Farm Foundation.
Pit bulls can be obedient and gentle animals, despite their negative reputation.
Certain cities like Montreal have even banned the dogs following a fatal dog attack on a woman.

 

sorry to ruffle the feathers of the cloaked pitbulls haters and malinois/shepherd fans on this forum

 

I think most know that they are used in some capacity or another in L.E.

Don't believe any are used, to my knowledge, to actually apprehend a suspect though. Just scent work and tracking.

I had asked a K9 officer here about a decade ago if he thought they would ever be used as a K9 instead of the other breeds and he said he doubts it because of their reputation and their look. The shepards have a softer look to them for public image. Even though they'll fuck someone up too lol.

I'm ok with them being used in ANY capacity. It only helps the breeds image in the publics eyes..

 

The Sheriff in our county likes the Belgian shepherd and German shepherd end of discussion.and like AGK said will F### you up.