Funds raised by Advancing Life Foundation donors have helped train another amazing police dog to assist the Derry Township Police Department. The newest Advancing Life dog-trainee, Tor, is a beautiful black Labrador retriever who is eager to get to work and help his partners out in the field.
Top Training for a Top Dog
Thanks to a partnership with Operation Underground Railroad and the Jordan Detection K9 Unit, the ICAC team’s efforts in Hershey, Pennsylvania, will be better equipped to track down all evidence needed to convict perpetrators of human trafficking and keep them from harming victims.
During his training, Tor has been taught to smell chemicals used uniquely in the development of electronic devices. These strong odors are heavier than air, which means even an electronic device hidden in a vent high on the wall can still be detected. Once a device has been found, Tor will signal to Officer Kevin Leiss through physical cues. “Tor will start conducting the search,” explains Leiss. “And when he finds an item, he will sit down as his primary alert. His secondary alert will be barking at the area where the item is located to let me know it’s close. If Tor does find something, he is rewarded with a handful of food and only eats while he is training or searching. He gets three cups of food a day and only during training or raids.”
Partners Fighting Crime
Officer Leiss has been working in Derry Township for almost six years, serving primarily with the ICAC task force. Today, he is proud to be Tor’s partner and handler. .
“We went to Indiana for two weeks for training,“ recalls Officer Leiss. “We took him through narrow stairways, under obstacles, all to build a relationship between Tor and me. He found S.D. cards, flash drives stashed in ceiling lights, and cell phones. A lot of the training is to understand how the dog works and what they’re trying to tell you.” He will start conducting the search, and when he finds an item, he will sit down as his primary alert. His secondary alert will bark at the area where the item is located to let the officer know it’s close. If Tor does find something, he is rewarded with a handful of food and only eats while he is training or searching. He gets three cups of food a day and only during training or raids.“
Not only is Tor trained as an ICAC dog, but he also has the training to be a calming presence around people who have been victimized. He gently interacts with people or small kids as a comfort animal. If someone has been through a traumatic situation, he has been trained to calm them.
“We can’t thank you enough for donating the funds for Tor’s training and placement on our team,” says Leiss. “His help makes a huge difference.”
Check out Tor in action by visiting the Derry Township Police Department Facebook page.
Join the Fight Against Human Trafficking
Your donation can go further in 2021 when you make it a monthly pledge! The foundation’s corporate partner, ASEA, matches all donations throughout 2021 given as part of a monthly pledge—so select the monthly option when you give, and every contribution will have double the impact on causes around the globe. To contribute to the funding of more O.U.R. police dog training and to help fight the cause to stop human trafficking, go here: https://donate.kindest.com/rise-up-for-children