The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1907-08-02
RECRUITS 1r

II You had heard of an old world
European city which was sufficiently
up to date to employ dogs as po-
licemen, and kept veterinary surgeons
at headquarters to look after them,
together with special officers to train
them by means of dummy burglars
and pickpockets, you might well be
surprised. Yet this system has been
in use for years in the picturesque
old city of Client, in Belgium; and so
successful have these four-legged Of
ficers become that the idea of dog
| policemen is finding favor all over
Belgium as well as in France, and in
more than $50 German municipalities
| besides.
Indeed, the Prussian minister of the
interior recently sent Herr Laufer,
police commissioner at Schwelm, on
special mission to Client to interview
M. E. Van Wesemael. police chief of
that city, to whom belongs the credit
Of having been the first to initiate
dog-policemen in Europe.
1 called upon M. Van Wesemael
that might learn from the very foun-
tain-head the whole story of these
wonderful dogs, who have not only
been eminently successful as night
| "cops," but have saved the municipali-
| ty many thousands of francs a year.
On the Anglo-Spanish frontier at Gil
bralter and elsewhere dogs are used
as smugglers; they retrieve game for
| sportsmen with wonderful sagacity;
they lead the blind; rescue wayfarers
| on the famous st. Bernard, in Switzer-
| land, and are used in the German
army to find the wounded on battle
field and carry medicines to them.
| Therefore, argued the Client chief
| of police, why not provide our night
| patrolmen with four-legged colleagues
who could beat round in waste places,
act as scouts, pursue pickpockets fast
| er than any two-legged officer, and
| generally give their human colleague
| a sense of security and protection?
| Moreover, look at the idea from the
point of the malefactor, and you will
| see how the dog-policemen positively
prevent crimes which might other
| wise be committed. 1t is possible
| enough on a dark night to elude an
ordinary policeman, but big, power
| FIJI Belgian sheepdog, with more
| tricks in his repertory than a first
| class juggler-that is very different
matter.
In 1899, the city of Client, in which
night-watches of the police have been
| thoroughly organized ever since 1854,
| resolved upon an increase of the
force. Belgium is poor country,
and the city's budget" was exhaust
ed. Thereupon arose NJ Van Wese-
mael, and suggested seriously enough
that, if the city couldn't afford men,
perhaps it could afford dogs.
The city fathers resolved to try the
| experiment, at any rate; and in
March, 1899, the "chiens-policiers"
were tried i'll small way. They we're
| particularly wanted for the outskirts
| of the town, which were notorious
Naturally enough, the police avoided
these places, where, alone and far
| from help, they we're supposed to
deal with bands of armed thugs.
Here ale some of the regulations
specially laid down by M. Van Wsse-
mael: "The police-dogs will be taken
| out the moment the night-call rings,
and led back into their kennels at the
morning call, always held in leash.
| This last will always be held short,
SO as to prevent the dogs from attack
| ing paSsers-by. Arrived on their beat,
| the night police will let loose their
dogs, that they may act as scouts, and
grow accustomed to visiting outlying
| houses and farms and isolated quar-
tiers where prowling criminals may
| hide. The dogs will always remain
| muzzled during duty. If they give no.
| tice by barks or growls that they have
found something unusual, the men
| will hasten to rejoin them, and re-
move their muzzle, which may be
| readily done.
'The men will not permit anyone
to coax or caress the dogs, that they
| may be accustomed only to obey Of
| ficers in uniform. The animals must
always be treated with gentleness, but
never petted except by way of reward
| for good service rendered. In speak
| ing to the dogs tone of sharp COM
| mand must always be used, and the
animals must obey instantly.
eff possible, avoid all chastisement;
and a threat must invariably precede
| forcible correction. For, once struck.
| the dog may lose his pluck and nerve,
| and become even dangerous to the Of
| ficer with whom he works. The night
| police will always prevent the dogs
| from picking up bones or eating any
| food whatsoever found whilst on duty.
| Criminals have already striven to
| poison our four-footed colleagues. The
| chemicals used fsr this purpose pro-
duce tho most terrible and instant
effects.