ATI Club sees police dogs in action

The ATI (Above The Influence) members at Ferri Middle School were recently treated to a K-9 presentation at the school by the Rhode Island State Police.

The ATI Club recently asked their advisor, Carolyn Carnevale, if they could have the K-9 dogs attend the school. Two State Troopers with their canine dogs accommodated the request. Trooper Louis Fiorenzano had his canine named Nick, who is trained to detect drugs, and Trooper Damien Maddox had his canine named Sam, who is trained to detect explosives and weapons.

At the beginning of the presentation, the officers gave the students information about themselves; how long they had the dogs, where the dogs came from (one is from the Czech Republic), their training and how the dog commands are given in Czech. They then spoked about safety, making the right choices and creating short and long-term goals. The officers demonstrated how the dogs sniff out drugs and explosives by hiding the products before the presentation. 

For the drugs, Louis hid cocaine under a box and let the dog find which box it was underneath and of course, Nick was successful in that mission. For the explosives, Damien hid TNT behind a mat hanging on the gym wall, Sam went around the gym and he too found the explosive, mission accomplished.  

The troopers shared missions they had been assigned to in the past. Damien and his canine were at the Boston Marathon looking for explosives. The last demonstration, they had Sam seated with a command to be on alert and the other trooper (not Sam’s handler) antagonized the canine. The canine was foaming at the mouth waiting to attack, when the handler let him go, he attacked the other trooper’s arm which was covered with a bite arm guard.

It clearly showed if he did not have that guard on his arm, it would have been shredded. Case in point, if all kids make good decisions and hang around with good people, they will never have to experience a dog with a foaming mouth, waiting to pounce.