Sniffer dog Kayla was tackling crime last week at the Dandenong Railway Station. 69151 Picture: Stewart Chambers
By Danielle Galvin
SEVEN-year-old black labrador Kayla is tackling illicit drugs in the fight against crime.
Last week Kayla sniffed out a number of offenders at the Dandenong Railway Station in the safe travel operation.
“We’re targeting drug offences, weapons and anti-social behavior,” Acting Senior Sergeant Arthur Secoulidis of the Transit Safety Division said.
The safe travel operation is a statewide operation running over three weeks.
“We want to get the message out there that drugs won’t be tolerated,” Acting Sen Sgt Secoulidis said.
Transit safety police were out in force at the station on Wednesday with Kayla the sniffer dog on the hunt for railway users carrying illicit drugs.
“Only a few people muck up,” Acting Sen Sgt Secoulidis said.
Sniffer dogs are trained to detect traces of opiate drugs, cannabis, heroin, cocaine and ecstasy.
“The dogs detect drugs on a person through their pores or on their clothes. They sit beside the person and we approach them to check if they have drugs in their possession,” he said.
Senior Constable Wayne McNamara said that Kayla was in her prime.
“They start when they are two years old and hopefully last until they are about 10 years old.”
Transit safety police collaborate with Inspector Charlie Allen from the southern metropolitan region and his team in Dandenong.
“The railway station is where we intersect. This operation reinforces that Dandenong is not a destination for drugs and that we will take action against them.”
