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Police dogs train for bomb detection duty at Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

 
Published March 9, 2016

ST. PETERSBURG — Police department canine patrols trained two more police dogs to search for explosives Wednesday, adding new skills they say will help enhance security for the upcoming Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg and other high-profile public events.

The dogs, Ajax and Ares, were taught to sweep areas efficiently and locate bombs quickly. They will join Soren and Jaeger as the department's bomb-detection dogs, although they will continue to work regular patrols as well.

The specialized training took eight weeks. The dogs were chosen for their aptitude and drive. St. Petersburg has a total of 11 dogs in the canine patrol unit.