The Washington herald., 1909-03-21
DOGS AS DETECTIVES
Police of Large American Cities Adopting Methods
of Europe with Great Success.

! Although Hull is the only place IN Eng
land where dogs are employed TO aid
the police in tracking criminals. the serv-
ices Of canine detectives have Tor years
past been requisitioned in France. Ger
many. Belgium. Austria. and New York
/ Russia has recently followed the examples
I OF these countries. London alone among
| the capitals Of Europe is the only place
/ where dogs have not been enlisted into
the police service The experience OF the
other countries and the success Of the ex-
! pertinent al Hull has completely vindi-
Gated the utility Of the dog policemen, "
but. although the authorities Of Scotland
Yard are understood 10 recognize their
! usefulness. the sentimental prejudices Of
the public seem 10 be the chief objection
I 10 their introduction in the metropolis
These prejudiees may be surmounted in
time. and some day, sooner or later, Lon
don may be equipped with canine con-
stabulary.' says the New York sun
The idea Of employing four-fOoted
watchers al the Hull docks was borrowed
/ from Ghent. the Belgian town, which Is
the pioneer IN the use Of the dog thief
catcher. and as the system has proved
/ successful. not only in helping the police
20 capture suspects but in preventing
| crime as well. il viii be surprising II il IS
not extended 10 other parts Of the coun-
I try The dogs principally used for crtmi-
/ nal work are Airedale terriers and cross
bred bloodhounds. Scientific tests have
proved that the former species OF dogs
can hear. roughly forty yards farther on
| than a man. and q is this class OF canine
watcher that has rendered such effective
work al Hull The dogs accompany the
police on patrol. and are taught 70 obey
/ the calls OF small trumpets which the on
1 GERS carry The animals are held on
/ leash and slipped when required 70 rem
/ der assistance.
Muzzle over Dogs Head.
A large leather nluzzle covers the dogs
head. so that when IL makes for its quar-
" and seizes him IL cannot bite The
duty OF the dog policeman Is merely 20
throw and hold the supposed miscreant
until its human colleague arrives The
dogs are even trained 70 upset bicycles. so
that the scorcher. or the thief who tries
10 escape on a wheel may very easily be
caught They are also taught 10 recog-
nize the night watchman In uniform. so
that policemen themselves are never N
danger Of being attacked or mistaken Tor
prOwiers Even the discharge OF nreaTnls
does not frighten the well trained terrier.
And lastly. the dogs are trained 20 refuse
the insidious sausage. which may well be
seasoned with strychnine when II Is Of
fered by a strange hand
Marvellous proofs Of the sa6acity Of po-
lice dogs were given al the remarka bic
trials recently held az Paris. when
French. Belgian. and German dogs were
tested in the art OF capturing supposed
criminals and in discovering hidden per
sons. pursuing them. and holding them
captive Par Of the programme was 20
confront eacIi dog with an Apache attirec
in the classic costume OF a red necker-
chief. broad-brimmed hat Slouched over
the eyes. and no collar The dogs were,
Of course. muZzled. otherwise the ANA
teur Apaches would have passed bad
quarter Of ar hour; but as IL was, they
were attacked with great fury by their
canine assailants and b0wled over Ike
ninepins-
In another experiment the dogs master
arrested a supposed burglar. whO in the
struggle dropped sack containing the
booty
Dog Watches Arrest.
The dog watched the arrest with crit
cal eye. prepared 70 assist If his services
were required. and when the burglar was
marched of 70 prison stood sentry over
the lOot-without word or sign from his
master-untn the officer returned and re
Heved him Of his duty. Among other ac-
compIishments the dogs displayed were
10 climb walls and 10 take high jumps Of
over six feet and long jumps OF fourteen
feet. How to knock q man down by run
ming between his legs and how 10 keep
him on the ground with vigorous blows OF
the muzzle were acts in which they all
displayed the greatest skill.
one OF the dogs recently trained 70 as
sist the Paris police was not long IN Civ
ing an account Of himself. Going out with
a couple OF police seTgeantS. he came
across a group OF beggars IN the BOUle-
ward Carnot AT St. Denis and began 70
sniff. whereupon a cripple hit him on the
nose with a piece Of iron
The dog remembered that blow. Finding
himself some time afterWard al Pierre
itte in a professional capacity. he sud-
denly pouDced upon a one-armed man
standing AT the door OF a wine shop. The