Police dogs took over Silja Serenade
![Cover image](/documents/10192/173737259/960x640-poliisikoirat-promenadella.jpg/3189eff2-af22-0b36-3b1c-e44faf12a596?t=1652692039017)
Regular trainings by authorities
Over the years, many exercises with the authorities have been held regularly on Tallink's and Silja Line's ships. Ships are versatile and authentic training location for police dogs, drug dogs, rescue authorities and for special police forces. In addition, there is also extensive international trainings organized between different countries.
Special explosive dogs training on Silja Serenade
Buka, Luna, Nalli, Nanoq, Yoda, Serge and Nitro, the special explosive dogs of police forces, got to train onboard Silja Serenade when vessel was having a service break from operations in Hernesaari dock in the beginning of 2022. These dogs make at least one bigger group training during their work period. This time the group training was organized on Silja Serenade. Dogs have also smaller trainings every week along their work shifts.
There is a manuscript for each training, informing what has happened and where. This time the training included searching of weapons and explosives in various parts of the ship. The dogs made also individual searches along the route that was in the manuscript. Not even the dog handlers knew what exactly was searched for and from which part of the ship.
Silja Serenade is a familiar training venue
Previous time explosive dogs trained on Silja Serenade in spring 2021, when the ship was suspended from traffic in Turku harbor. The Police Sergeant organizing the training tells that they train on cruise ships with pleasure whenever there is a chance.
Training day lasts from early morning to evening and every dog can execute the searches in their own pace. It is important that dogs also get their outdoor, eating, and napping breaks. For the successful search, dogs are rewarded with treats and play time with their favorite toy.
Demanding sniffing work
Special explosive dogs are mostly Labrador retrievers or Belgian shepherd malinoises. Explosive dog works for the whole career with same handler as a pair. Explosive dogs are learning the sniffing work in practice with all kinds of smells from explosives and gun power.
“The Eastern Helsinki Metropolitan area’s police dogs are located on Helsinki-Vantaa airport. We need dogs help, for example, to secure inner and outer areas in state visits. In addition, dogs are used to help investigating explosive-, home-, and location searches.” explains Police Sergeant.
The police dogs can be followed in Instagram on account @iupoliisik9.