Bradford residents may have noticed some four-legged detectives
sniffing around the city on Wednesday.
This is the time of year for the National Police Bloodhound
Association to hold its annual training seminar in Allegany State
Park near Salamanca, N.Y., and training exercises brought the
officers and their canine charges into the city.
“We laid down a track about 8:15 this morning,” explained
Detective Mike Luciani of the Hopatcong Police Department in New
Jersey Wednesday afternoon. “We have somebody walk a trail.”
He explained the person who walks is setting the course for the
bloodhounds to follow.
“They leave a scent article here. The dogs strictly work on
human scent,” he said. The dogs are given the article with the
scent to follow and then the task is to find where that person
went.
Wednesday afternoon, the dogs and handlers did just that.
Gesturing towards Rosco, Luciani said, “When he finds the person
he’s looking for, he jumps up on them.”
And at 95 pounds at just 2 years old, Rosco makes a big
impression.
“He puts his paws right up on their shoulders,” Luciani said
with a laugh. “We’re all prepared for it when we’re training.”
During a brief break in the parking lot of Union Square, the
officers and their canine companions were greeted by many passersby
who couldn’t resist petting Rosco, Susie or Copper.
“You want the distraction,” Luciani said, nodding towards the
cars traveling by, the noise of the U.S. Route 219 construction and
deliveries to nearby stores. “It helps him out in his training.
They need to concentrate on the training.”
Back at home, Rosco and Luciani visit schools as well as work
for the police department. In that work, Rosco has tracked down the
culprits in car burglaries, found a missing boy and found an
autistic adult – among other accomplishments.
“When that phone rings at 2 or 3 in the morning, he’s up
howling,” Luciani said, explaining Rosco knows that is his cue to
go to work.
Lt. Mark Kent of the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office in
Massachusetts and his dog Copper were also taking part in the
training exercise Wednesday.
“We got a little wet,” he said with a laugh, explaining one
trail went under the Bradford Mall through the Tunungwant
Creek.
Sgt. Kevin Gannon of the Martin County Sheriff’s Office in
Florida, who was there with his dog Susie, said, “We’re enjoying
the weather.” He was wearing a heavy sweatshirt and had just
removed his coat at that time. The temperature was about 67 degrees
– not bad for locals, but apparently chilly for Floridians.
“We’ve got some young dogs,” said Deputy Sheriff Shawn Conley of
the Worcester Sheriff’s Office, “they’re getting a feel of things
working in the city.”
Ray Jackson, a trainer from Templeton, Mass., explained, “This
really is nice weather for trailing. But when it’s 10 below and
snowing, people still get lost.”
Bloodhounds do “man trailing,” he said, explaining they follow
human scent. Much of their work is done when people run from law
enforcement or when someone is lost.
All of the officers were impressed with training in
Bradford.
“This is a nice little town to work in,” Conley said, adding
that the people have been friendly and cooperative.
Gannon said, “When you hold the door open for people, they say
thank you. They don’t just look at you funny.”
“We’ve also gained some useful information on drugs here in the
city,” Kent said, explaining that several people had come up to
them on Wednesday to report locations of suspected drug houses
within the area.
This is the eighth year the Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s office
has hosted the Bloodhound Association’s training seminar. There are
73 police officers and 51 bloodhounds taking part. Closing
ceremonies will be held today, at which time certificates will be
presented to participants.
