Historical Research: Seeking Info on Military Police and Security K9 Teams from 1972 to Present

Military Police Dog Arras, CFB Trenton, circa 1989 (Source: Unknown)

​The CMPA’s co-Director of History and Heritage, LCol (Ret’d) Paul Thobo-Carlsen, is researching the history of CAF Military Police working dog programs from 1972 to present (after the RCAF Police Sentry Dog Program ended*) and is seeking relevant information and photos from anyone with knowledge of any of these locally-run K9 programs.

​To date, twelve MP handlers and eleven working dogs are known to have operated in support of MP operations from 1987 to present. These include:

• Jacques Fortier and Arras (German Shepherd drug dog), CFB Trenton, circa 1987 to 91;
• Paul Melanson and Baby (Rottweiler drug dog), CFB Gagetown, 1989 to 93;
• Dave Balakowski [deceased] and Justice (German Shepherd drug dog), CFB Petawawa, circa 1990 to 93;
• Ray McKenzie and Fudge (Border Collie, drug dog), CFB Lahr, circa 1990 to 92;
• Hugh Devlin (1st handler), Bruce Mellor (2nd handler) and Hamilton (Labrador Retriever drug dog), CFB Baden-Soellingen, 1990 to 92;
• Preston Mathews and Max (Golden Retriever drug dog), CFB Trenton, circa 1992;
• Don MacLeod and Bubby (Belgian Malinois drug dog), CFB Shilo, 1997 to 2001;
  
• Mario Fortier and Zento (German Shepherd, patrol/drug dog), CFB Edmonton, circa 1998 to 2000;
• Dave Kimbers and Lahr (German Shepherd patrol/drug dog), CFB Halifax and 14 Wg Greenwood, 2006 to 11;
• Bernie Parker and Roxy (Labrador Retriever drug dog), CFB Esquimalt, 2007 to 12; and
• Justin Caron and Vimy (German Shepherd drug dog), CFB Halifax and CFB Petawawa, 2008 to present

Canadian civilian handler and security dog, CFB Lahr Ammunition Compound, 1991 (Source: Screenshot from Lahr Military Police Section video)

​Additionally, there were MP-supervised programs at CFBs Lahr and Baden-Soellingen in West Germany using civilian handlers and guard dogs to protect the base ammunition compounds.  These security dog programs included:

• Contracted German armed security guards and dogs, CFB Lahr, circa 1975 to ?;
• Canadian civilian (dependant) armed security guards and dogs, CFB Lahr, circa late 1980s/early 1990s; and
• Contracted German armed security guards and dogs, CFB Baden-Soellingen, circa 1977 to 89.

​A significant amount of information is known about the three most recent MP K9 teams operating from 2006 onward.  However, much less is know about the earlier MP teams and the security dog programs in Germany.  

​Former supervisors or co-workers of dog handlers, or anyone with knowledge of one or more of these earlier programs, is requested to contact the CMPA.  Of particular interest are details on how these teams came into being, trained, operated and were supported at the MP unit and base levels.  Other historically relevant information includes photos of handlers and dogs, unit-level documentation (e.g. K9 SOPs, commendation letters, etc), newspaper articles related to MP K9 programs, stories about cases that K9 teams worked on, and amusing anecdotes.

​Any and all assistance is greatly appreciated to help shed light on an area of MP Branch history that has not been yet be well covered.

NOTE:  ​The recently published book by LCol (Ret’d’) A.J. Murtagh and Maj (Ret’d) A.W. Kendall (The History of the RCAF Police Sentry Dog Program: 1963-1972. Burnstown ON: Burnstown Publishing House, 2017) does an excellent job of telling the story of Canada’s only formal and sustained military working dog program.  If you're interested in purchasing a copy of this book, you can do so by visiting www.rcaf-sentrydogs.ca/order.html (website is not associated with the CMPA).