Benji is a fighting dog that supports the Independent Counter-Terrorist Unit of the Police in Lublin. It works where humans cannot. Now he has modern combat equipment. Thanks to it, he will be able to help the police even more effectively.
Four-legged officers, thanks to their well-developed senses of smell and hearing and exceptional physical fitness, can cope where the limitations of the human body do not allow uniformed officers to act effectively. One of these unique “cops” is a fighting dog named Benji. For over a year, together with his guide, he has been serving in the Independent Counter-Terrorist Unit of the Police in Lublin.
Benji Lublin Police
Trained for “almost every special operation”
– War dogs can take part in almost any special operation. They are ready to parachute and land from helicopters. Their training assumes that they must perform the task in all weather and terrain conditions, at any time of day or night, and no external factors can disturb their operation. They are perfect for detaining and disabling dangerous criminals and searching hard-to-reach rooms, says junior aspirant Małgorzata Skowrońska from the press team of the Provincial Police Headquarters in Lublin.
Fighting dogs during operations
Benji has undergone specialized training
As Skowrońska emphasizes, dogs that help police officers in the most difficult operations are specially selected for this purpose. They must have courage, concentration skills, motivation and willingness to train. After specialized training, they become an integral part of the police team.
Benji underwent six months of training at the Police Cynology Department in Sułkowice, which included obedience, aggression, cooperation with people and developing reactions to stressful situations. – Elements of combat operations were introduced in which Benji could be used during service – adds midshipman Skowrońska.
Benji Lublin Police
Great equipment for a dog
According to the Lublin police, during exercises and operations, Benji wears a tactical protective helmet with earmuffs that muffle high-pitched sounds, along with ballistic safety goggles that protect his eyes from shrapnel and UV radiation.
– The guide puts on a tactical vest with a high-altitude certificate for working with the Black Hawk helicopter. He wears shoes on his feet that protect against extremely low and high temperatures, punctures and increase his grip when working on slippery surfaces – adds Małgorzata Skowrońska.
His entire uniform cost nearly eight thousand zlotys.
BenjiLublin Police
Main photo source: Lublin Police