Module 2 - Law Enforcement Equipment and Police Canines
Overview
Module 2 Overview - Law Enforcement Equipment and Police Canines
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A police officer’s typical equipment belt:
Image Source: Sergeant A. Kowalyk, Edmonton Police Service |
Module Overview
Catching “bad guys” involves elements of danger and risk. Therefore, police officers carry various equipment to protect themselves and the public. Over the years, science has been involved, both intentionally and unintentionally, in the development of some unique equipment used by law enforcement officers today.
The search for durable fibres to strengthen car tires, an initial goal of chemists, led to the creation of Kevlar. This material was subsequently used in bullet-resistant vests during the Vietnam War, a concept later adopted by police officers, saving many lives in the process.
The Conducted Energy Device (CED), commonly referred to as the Taser, is a recent invention that has helped officers apprehend violent and aggressive persons without having to resort to the use of deadly force. Pepper spray and tear gas are also used, both effective in subduing unruly crowds.
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A puppy that will be trained to become a police service dog
- Image Source: Edmonton Police Service |
Dogs that work in law enforcement are commonly referred to as police canines. The primary function of these specially trained dogs is to provide support to police officers working on the street by tracking and “chasing down” suspected criminals who try to flee police. Police canines and their handlers respond to many types of crimes, often those involving suspects who have fled on foot or who have tried to hide in enclosed spaces such as buildings or containers. Some police departments also use narcotic detection dogs trained to detect the presence of illegal drugs. Also, explosive detection dogs are used to detect explosives hidden from view.
Lesson 1 of this module examines the properties of bullet-resistant vests and Conducted Energy Devices (CED) and how both have saved the lives of law enforcement officers.
Lesson 2 discusses the molecular components of pepper spray and tear gas and how each is used by police officers.
Lesson 3 explains how police canines are trained and used in various areas of law enforcement.
Lesson 4 examines the details of two historical crimes that involve law enforcement safety equipment and police canines.
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"I'm not against the police; I'm just afraid of them." - Alfred Hitchcock (English Film Director, 1899 - 1980 |
- understand that bullet-resistant vests are made from the synthetic polymer, Kevlar
- identify five distinct molecular traits of Kevlar, and explain how these traits help to make Kevlar resistant to bullets
- describe how the conducted energy device (also called CED, taser gun, or electroshock weapon) functions, and explain the practical use of this device by police officers
- identify the molecular ingredients of pepper spray, and describe the physiological effects of pepper spray upon the human body
- describe the practical use of pepper spray by police officers, and identify any advantages and/or disadvantages of this substance
- identify the molecular ingredients of tear gas, and state the physiological effects of tear gas upon the human body
- describe the practical use of tear gas by police officers and identify any advantages and/or disadvantages of this substance
- discuss a historical crime case(s) that involved the use of law enforcement safety equipment
- appreciate the value of police canines in criminal investigations
- describe the various types of law enforcement canines, such as tracking, narcotic detection, bomb detection, search and rescue, and combat canines
- identify the most common dog breeds used for law enforcement, and explain the reasons these breeds are used
- describe the training of one type of police canine
- explore a historical crime case(s) that involves the use of police canines