If you are tracking a criminal and your dog alerts to their presence, what must you do before deploying?

• A. Give k9 announcements
• B. Call for backup
• C. Check GPS
• D. Take photos

Answer: (A)

The key action is to give a clear k9 announcement before releasing the dog. Announcing that a tracking canine is about to be deployed communicates to the suspect (and bystanders) that a dog will be used, which helps prevent surprise confrontations, encourages compliance, and enhances safety for everyone involved. It also aligns with typical training and department policy, providing a documented warning that can be important for later testimony.

Back-up requests, GPS checks, or taking photos are sensible steps in an operation, but they don’t fulfill the required pre-deployment warning to the subject that a canine search is about to begin.