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NARRATOR: Canines are one of the best,
most versatile tools we have for protecting the Homeland,

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but when it comes to explosive threats,
many of our nation’s detection canine teams

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have limited access to the latest resources

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to help them reach their full potential.

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The Department of Homeland Security
Science and Technology Directorate is working to address this

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through its Regional Explosives
Detection Dog Initiative—or REDDI—

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a nationwide effort to advance the
knowledge and detection capabilities

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of canine teams within state
and local law enforcement agencies.

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DON ROBERTS: We're trying to give the
detection canine community the tools,
techniques, and knowledge

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to better understand and train and
utilize these dogs.

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To understand where their strengths and
weaknesses are in their normal
maintenance training.

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The REDDI Program is really about
understanding whether the maintenance
training

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translates into operational proficiency.

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MATT TAYLOR: They're showing us new ways
that we can help train our dogs.

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they're putting us in realistic live
scenarios and they're able to bring that
training here

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setting up operational scenarios that
maybe our dogs have never seen before.

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RYAN SKINNER: My dog canine Grim and I go
to a lot of sporting events,
we'll go to dignitary events,

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and then different suspicious packages,
bomb threats throughout the area.

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some of the scenarios they've set up
for us the last couple of days...

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we've done some stadium seating where we
have to search backpacks and packages,
a concession area,

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some VIP suites, we have a motorcade set
up where we'll have to sweep the vehicles
prior to a dignitary arriving

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and there's also an odor recognition
trial area,

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BILL BROWN: When I first heard about the
program, I thought that man, this would be
excellent for our bomb guys

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because as trainers and handlers, we get
accustomed to just doing our own thing

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and not seeing what else is out there.

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It's opened up some eyes to
some things.

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The training is outstanding.
It is actually giving them things that we
need to go back and work on.

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KEVIN GOOD: So the idea is that each
REDDI event, the participating handlers

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get their personal results, plus they can
compare against the results of the other
teams that participated at that event.

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Then, after conducting many events,
we aggregate all of that data,

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that will be compiled into a report,
to the Department of Homeland Security
Science and Technology Directorate,

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and then disseminated to the
law enforcement community.

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DON ROBERTS: That's what the S&T program
is also able to do, is share what the
weaknesses are, and concerns,

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and help them with that as well as
share what's working right.

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♪  ♪  ♪