BDSAR K9 Group Policy and Procedures
BDSAR K9 policies reflect the principles and methods pertaining to mission response, uniform , training, testing, voting and leadership as agreed upon by a majority vote of the BDSAR K9
Membership. All policies remain subordinate to the BDSAR Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and Standard of Conduct.
1. Mission Response
1.1 BDSAR K9 Group will serve as single discipline K9 Teams supporting the Commonwealth through a K9 MOU and other groups in which a Mutual Aid Agreement has been established. Only K9 Teams that have completed the requirements set forth in the VASARCO Standards for their given discipline as well as adherence to the BDSAR K9 Policy and Procedures and all requirements from the BDSAR By Laws and Standard of Conduct will be considered Operational and can deploy as a K9 Team or K9 Group Member.
1.1a Single discipline means that a dog will not be certified in both live scent and cadaver.
1.2 If a person is deployed through a work related call out that is not channeled through VDEM no association is allowed with BDSAR logo or name either stated or implied .
2. Uniforms:
2.1 BDSAR team colors shall be black /gray and tan/khaki and members who are responding to searches will be expected to follow these guidelines.
3. Membership in BDSAR K9 Group:
3.1 A Candidate is a person who has requested membership with the BDSAR K9 Group but has no voting privileges. A Candidate is not eligible for any discipline specific testing of their K9. Discipline specific testing is considered to be any field testing for the team's chosen discipline.
3.1a Candidate requirements:
Handler must be a member of Black Diamond Search and Rescue Council
3.1b Handler must request membership and begin training with BDSAR K9 Team.
3.2 K9 Requirements:
3.2a K9 must pass the Dog Behavior Evaluation as outlined in the BDSAR K9 Standards.
3.2bK9 must have proof of current Rabies Vaccination as Required by Law.
3. 3 While working on getting this prerequisite training accomplished the handler is encouraged to come to training sessions ,without their dog, to assist in the training of current K9 teams. We also suggest they participate in all aspects of training for Ground Searching with Black Diamond and/or any Member Team.
3.4 An Air Scent or Cadaver Candidate must participate in 50 % of all training sessions for a 3 month session to be considered eligible for full membership. An evaluation of progress will be done at the end of the 3 month period and BDSAR K9 Members will vote on acceptance of this Handler/k9 team as Members. ** Candidates may remain Members of Black Diamond SAR Council, even if not voted into the K-9 SAR Program.
3.4a A Trailing Candidate must attend Team Trainings once per month during the first quarter probationary period to be eligible for evaluation and consideration(voting on) for Membership.
3.5 A VDEM Certified team (from a different K9 Group) must fulfill the 90 days 50% training requirement to be voted in. The team must then request and then pass the Recert for his given discipline before being considered Call Out Qualified. Dual trained teams will only be eligible for Air Scent since BDSAR is a single discipline team and Cadaver dogs can not be trained on live scent.
3.8 Once voted in, the Candidate becomes a Member with full testing and voting privileges.
3.9Membership:
3.9a A Member of the BDSAR K9 Group will have full voting privileges and respond as a K9 Team once they are Operational. Training requirements ,as described in Section 4, must be kept to maintain Membership.
4.Training and Evaluations:
4.1 Training with other groups with an VDEM K9 MOU will be accepted as a team training as will approved workshops or seminars. These trainings can not exceed 50% of the required team trainings. If a Member attends a training such as this they will need to send paperwork to the K9 Training Officer to have it included in his participation records.
4.2 Cadaver K9s will not be crossed trained nor trained to detect anything but the odor of human remains.
4.3 In some circumstances the Cadaver and Air Scent Groups will train at different locations during "team trainings" due to the fact that some trainings are not mutually needed for both disciplines. A minimum team training (all disciplines)is required at least once a month. Trailing Teams must train with Air Scent and Cadaver Teams for a full team training once per quarter (except for Candidate Trailing Teams as described in Section 3.4a)
4.4 If a Member does not make the training requirements for a quarter he/she is placed on probationary status. If the Member still doesn't fulfill the training requirements in the second quarter they will be removed from the roster and must once again fulfill the Candidate requirements of attending, being voted in and then doing a recert if they were Operational. During the time a Member is a Candidate or on probationary status he can not do any field testing ( any discipline specific testing). Operational teams will not be eligible for Call outs while on probationary status. An Operational Team that is placed on Probationary Status must complete the 50% training requirement for a quarter and then do a Re cert before being placed back on the Call out Qualified Roster.
4.5 Requests for testing must be made to a BDSAR Team Evaluator.
4.6 Field Testing for Operational Status shall include one State Evaluator and one Team Evaluator. Testing will be set up by the BDSAR Team Evaluator or K9 Training Officer. One Evaluator must be from another Group with a VDEM MOU to insure impartiality. Recerts can be evaluated with BDSAR team and BDSAR State Evaluators.
5. BDSAR Standard of Conduct as related to K9:
5.1 No dog shall be tied to a car or vehicle during a search or training. Dogs must be crated or confined in such a way as to not interfere with other dogs, searchers, or to put themselves at risk.
5.2 Both Candidates as well as K9 SAR Team Members must understand that the training and development of our dogs is the sole priority of the BDSAR K9 Group. The ability to function unimpeded, in the further development and training to the VSARCO Standard, is paramount to our goal of becoming and maintaining Operational status. Each Member must conform to all Standards of Conduct set forth by BDSAR and all Member Teams. In addition to that, any individual who participates with the K9 Group, must understand that negativity by discourse, action, or attitude will not be tolerated and the Member can be expelled from the program by a majority vote of the K9 Group Members at any time. The Member will be able to maintain membership and train with BDSAR but he/she will no longer be permitted to function in the K9 program.
6. Team positions, elections and voting:
6.1 BDSAR K9 team will vote in a K9 Training Officer every 2 years. This person must be an Operational K9 Handler. This vote will happen during the month of July. The K9 Training Officer shall over see training, organize events and facilitate the training needs of the K9 Group.
6.2 The team will assign Team Evaluators and nominate Members for State Evaluator based on VSARCO requirements annually or as needed.
6.3 Sessions Leader will be the Member who is in charge of the Training Sessions for any particular training date. This position is based on Volunteer sign up. This person shall be in charge of facilitating training for that given session.
6.4 Voting by the BDSAR K9 Group can be done at general K9 meetings or by electronic mail. A majority of the attending or responding Membership is required to pass or fail any motion or request.
6.5 A majority vote of BDSAR K9 Group Members may modify these Policies.