The Indiana K-9 Resource Protection Program started in 1997 with a pilot program of two teams. The effectiveness of this type of program was quickly realized. It rapidly grew to a team of 10 K-9 units that are located throughout Indiana. The team has at least one K-9 unit in all 10 Law Enforcement districts.
This program is well-respected in Indiana and recognized as one of the top programs in the nation. Indiana has helped start and train teams from nine sister natural resource agencies (Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Oregon, Utah, Virginia, and Washington), as well as the country of Zambia.
Indiana K-9 Resource Protection teams are trained in man-tracking, wildlife detection and article searches. All canines are trained to locate whitetail deer, wild turkey, waterfowl and ginseng. Other species are added depending on the geographic area of Indiana the handler is located. The K-9 teams excel in man-tracking and locating firearms.
Goals
Protect endangered species and preserve the safety of public lands
Assist in search and rescue
K-9 teams provide the officers in their districts another tool to help stop poaching. In the first 24 years, K-9 teams across Indiana were involved in more than 7,500 such cases. These teams have been used to find hidden game and guns, as well as to find shell casings in road hunting and spotlighting cases. They find lost hunters as well as poachers who have tried to conceal themselves from officers. Because of their unique abilities, K-9 units are often requested by other state and local law enforcement agencies for help in locating evidence in their cases and in locating missing persons or fleeing felons.
How You Can Help
You can help support Indiana’s talented and resourceful K-9 teams. Your donations provide additional support for the K-9 units for things that fall outside of the operational budget but are much needed for the safety and well-being of the K-9s. These may include veterinary expenses, GPS tracking units, heat alarms for the vehicles and more. Your donation will help Indiana’s K-9 teams continue to protect our state’s natural resources. Be sure to select “K9 LE” in the dropdown menu when making your donation.
