Albanian Minister of the Interior, Sander Lleshaj delivered a solemn speech about police dogs.
At an event organised for the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Institute of Dogs of the State Police, he called the structure “one of the most special and precious in the State Police itself.”
The institute is the only one of its kind in the country and Lleshaj reminded those in attendance that the dogs are specialised police officers. He noted that we must also respect the handlers of the dogs as well.
“Whenever we marvel at the rare abilities of the dogs during police operations, we must always think of instructors and their leaders without whom, police dogs would be mere charming pets like other dogs,” Lleshaj said.
The Minister reiterated his dedication to furthering the work of the canine unit whose “extraordinary experience, accumulated over decades in this unique structure” is of great importance.
He gave a special shout out to “Brandi” who provided assistance during the rescue operation after the 26 November earthquake. The dog entered a small tunnel created by the collapse of the building and was able to signal the presence of people trapped two metres under the rubble.
Albanian police dogs are trained in detecting drugs, weapons, and people and some are trained in explosives and as guards. The Border Police are also equipped with dogs, as are RENEA and some special directorates.
Lleshaj also added that the time has come to think about the role of other animals such as horses in the service of the police.
