INDIANAPOLIS -- From suspicious packages to unattended items, police are on alert, especially after homemade bombs terrorized communities near Austin, Texas. But police in central Indiana are putting their bomb detections to the test in the middle of a real-life scenario.
K-9 units from police departments and agencies across the state met at Plainfield High School Wednesday to undergo special training on everything from bomb, to building searches to narcotics.
The training was mostly a refresher course to test their skills, but some dogs learned some new tricks.
"They're familiar with that, but even during those scenario, there's opportunity to do things that maybe their dogs have had difficulties in the past and they can get better at it," said Aaron Batt. the Indiana Federal Security Director, Transportation Security Administration.
In one area, K-9s trained on materials being used to make homemade bombs, including some of the materials used in the recent bombings in Texas.
The materials were placed inside of cinder blocks, and the dogs had a chance to sniff out what those materials smell like. The process is called imprinting, as well as taking threats from the real world and preparing each teams.
"One of the training events or scenarios that we were doing here was making sure our explosive dogs don't move a package as they sniff them," Batt said. "Sometimes the dogs might move something to get a better sniff at it."
One scenario was set up for a speech by a VIP, the K-9s searched the hallway and gym for a homemade bomb. When a K-9 finds the explosive, they are always rewarded with their favorite toy.
MORE TOP STORIES | Woman overdoses on heroin in bathroom at Riley Hospital for Children | Co-defendant in federal Grundy case to plead guilty to trafficking in heroin, meth | New Palestine mom says popular hair product left family's hair falling out in clumps | Man fills up gas tank, only to find water | 22-year-old arrested in connection with St. Patrick's Day murder
Top Trending Videos
