The Australian Border Force's (ABF) Detector Dog Program has been protecting Australia's borders for 50 years; an incredible achievement of continuous service that contributes to security at the border and the protection of all Australians.
The Detector Dog Program is continually evolving and expanding to meet emerging threats at the border and has grown from modest beginnings with two Labrador Retrievers (Captain and Lady) in Sydney in 1969. The first detector dogs were trained to detect drugs, but 50 years on more than 60 detector dog teams across the nation are dedicated to detecting drugs, firearms, explosives, currency, and tobacco.
The ABF's Detector Dog Program continues to develop detector dog capabilities and in the 2018-2019 financial year alone had over 800 illicit narcotic detections, detected over seven million dollars of undeclared currency and interdicted over four tonnes of tobacco products in the air and sea cargo environments.
Detector dog teams around the country completed over 24,000 targeted operations in support of ABF priorities in 2018. These operations included the mass screening of passengers, cargo, postal items, and arriving vessels and aircraft. The program also supports operations with the Australian Federal Police and various state police forces.
"We are very proud of all the ABF and Customs staff who have helped create our world-class Detector Dog Program and I congratulate all those who have contributed to the protection of our borders for the past 50 years," ABF Commissioner, Michael Outram APM said.
"The Detector Dog Program has evolved over the decades to become a world leader in detector dog breeding and training. Our Labrador Retrievers are in demand from both domestic and international law enforcement agencies."
The National Detector Dog Program Facility in Melbourne is a purpose-built, world-class facility for breeding and training detector dogs. The facility can house up to 200 dogs and provides the ABF with all their operational detector dogs.
In addition to breeding and training dogs for the ABF, the program has provided hundreds of detector dogs for domestic and international law enforcement agencies including the AFP, Corrective Services, Japan Customs and Singapore Police.
The ABF will mark the occasion with a gala event for all previous staff and invited guests who have contributed to the success of the Detector Dog Program over the past 50 years.
