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PHILIPSBURG--St. Maarten Police Force recently welcomed its two latest recruits, who are expected to have a big impact on drug- and firearm-related crime. They are sniffer dogs Rasja and Astorie, who, together with their handlers Igmar Woodley and Rickets Moesliken, recently graduated from their dog handling course in Aruba.

Woodley and Moesliken, who joined the force in 2009 and 2010 respectively, were patrol officers before becoming dog handlers. When they became aware the force had openings for dog handlers, they applied and were selected for the new posts.

Last month, they flew to Aruba to meet their canine partners and both dogs and their handlers had to complete a challenging training course at the Justice Training Centre. "Previously officers had to fly to Holland to take the course, but now there is a Dutch dog trainer in Aruba. The course contents are the same, but the length of the training was reduced from two months to three weeks. It was a challenge, because the standards are the same and we still had to pass the same exam," Moesliken explains.

Rasja and Astorie however, have been training for a lot longer than three weeks. They are Belgian Malinois, born out of a special breeding programme, which aims to produce the best police dogs. As puppies, they had to go through a selection process as not every puppy is suitable to become a police dog.

Rasja and Astorie were smart, brave and assertive enough to be selected, and their training started when they were puppies. Two years later, having passed all their exams, they were qualified to meet their handlers.

During their initial training, the dogs learned all their basic commands, and when they arrived in Aruba, their final training focussed on their cooperation with their new handlers, whose personalities were taken into account to obtain a perfect match between handler and dog.

The dogs have been trained to sniff out narcotics, firearms and ammunition. This is a different skill to those held by patrol dogs, of which the police have two, and explosives dogs. "The training for the different types of dogs varies, so Rasha and Astorie can be used only as sniffer dogs." Moeliken says. "For instance, explosives dogs are specifically trained not to bark, as this could set off an explosive."

Woodley explains that the police dogs are very different to family pets. "The dogs live with the trainers, but they are working dogs, not pets. They should not be treated as pets, because it is important they don't get confused."

Woodley has a four-year-old daughter. "I have not introduced Rasja to her yet. Working dogs don't mix so easily with children. Rasja shouldn't be petted or played with like a family pet can." Woodley's wife supported his career choice. "She is used to dogs," says Woodley. "It's a tick on my check-list; I couldn't be with someone who doesn't like dogs."

The dogs live in kennels. Handlers must have a big yard, which has to be properly fenced off. The dogs have to be able to run around and stay active, so they remain fit and alert. The handlers interact with the dogs throughout the day, even when they are not working.

"The dogs have to always be prepared. We work on call-out so the dog always has to be ready. For instance, detectives may have searched a house for drugs. They then call us out for the dogs to double-check there is nothing more hidden in the house," Woodley explains.

That's not the only reason dogs and handlers need to remain trained. Every two years they have to pass an exam in order to keep their certification. "The dog and the handler have an obligation to keep practicing, although there is a possibility to retake the exam, should the team fail," says Woodley.

Police dogs work for nine to 10 years before they retire. After retirement, the handler can submit a request to keep the dog. Needless to say, dogs and handlers become very close during their time together. It is paramount for a job handler to enjoy their jobs. "I enjoy it a lot," Moesliken say. "I had a dog previously, but he passed. You must be an animal lover to do this job."

The handlers and their dogs become a team in more ways than one. Both handlers also know each other, and each other's dog very well. This is important because when one of the handlers is sick or goes on vacation, the other will look after the dog. "We wouldn't work with each other's dog, just look after it," says Moesliken. "If the handler is on vacation, the dog has a vacation, too."

Although they are working dogs, Rasja and Astorie are kind and friendly. "They are not aggressive, they are passive dogs," says Woodley. Children and adults can approach the dogs, but they should always ask the handler first. "Of course, we take precautions with new people. We can never tell what the dog is thinking, so we always tend to be careful," Woodley adds. "It also depends on the situation. When the dogs are physically working, they could be stressed, just like people. You have to remember that dogs will be dogs. Rasja for instance likes to bark at cars."

The dogs and their handlers are busy continuing their practice. In the future, the couples will also be able to participate in displays, where the dogs can show off their tricks. "The dogs can jump on top of cars, jump over items. We HOPE to be able to do demonstrations with them in the future," says Woodley. "It is important for people to know what the dogs are capable of."

The two dogs are a welcome addition to the St. Maarten Police Force, and a direct result of cooperation with the Aruba Police Force and the Dutch specialised police dog trainer who was responsible for the training course in Aruba. Police Chief Peter de Witte expressed his gratitude to the Police Force of Aruba, which offered the training to the St. Maarten officers and their new dogs for free.

Another party that played a big role was funding agency USONA which paid for the cost of acquiring the dogs, the transport costs to Aruba and onward to St. Maarten, and for the travel and accommodation costs of the dog handlers. "I am very grateful to USONA for its contribution," said De Witte.