May 2, 2025
| Oriskany, NY
B-Roll Available Here; Photos Available Here
New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray today announced 57 explosive detection canine teams from across the state participated in ‘Canine Week’ this week at the State Preparedness Training Center in Oriskany. The exercise allowed handlers and their canine partners to practice response and leadership skills in a variety of real-world scenarios involving explosives and explosive devices. Teams from local and state law enforcement agencies participated in training, which began on Monday, April 28.
“DHSES is proud to host our local law enforcement partners from across the State and the ATF at the State Preparedness Training Center for Canine Week,” Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said. “Working together, we are able to provide the latest training tools and techniques to these K9 teams to help keep New Yorkers safe.”
New York’s more than 300 law enforcement explosive detection canine (EDC) teams aid law enforcement’s response through conducting searches for explosive materials near building exteriors, parking lots, office areas, vehicles, mass transit venues, critical infrastructure sites, and mass gathering events.
Since 2009, the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has allocated more than $7.1 million to support EDC teams across the state. This program supports New York’s counter- improvised explosive device (IED) response operations through screening, searching and detection of explosive materials. Explosive detection canine teams serve as a mobile response capability for detection and identification of potential explosive and IED type incidents.
All Canine Week EDC teams are participating in the following skills lanes:
- Specialty Team Socialization and Integration: This session focused on the successful integration of EDC teams with both Bomb Squads and Tactical Teams. This aligns with the enduring objectives of Canine Week, the Excelsior Challenge, and other major training events sponsored by DHSES. The Bomb Squad portion of this session was designed by the New York State Police’s Bomb Disposal Unit and the Tactical integration was led by agencies with dedicated experience in this realm.
- Special Event Security: Jurisdictions across New York State routinely host a wide variety of special events, including concerts, parades, sporting events, and holiday celebrations. The protection of these mass gathering events demands a layered security strategy that leverages the capabilities of EDC teams. This session was developed by canine instructors from local, state, and federal agencies with extensive experience in this area
- Transit Security Strategies: New York State is home to a robust network of transit systems, including mass transit, commuter rail, and bus lines. These systems are complex, highly interdependent, and often a challenge to protect, given their open nature. This session was designed by the NYPD Transit Bureau’s Canine Program and focused on the effective use of EDC teams in the transit environment.
- Expanding Your Canine Compass: This session was dedicated to “Expanding Your Canine Compass”, so canine teams can effectively go in any direction. It focused on the strategies and science behind the use of EDC teams on Gunshot Residue (GSR) cases, building on best practices and lessons learned from agencies with this capability in New York State. This session was created by the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in conjunction with canine experts from the mid-Hudson Valley region.
- Canine Special Situations: DHSES issued a survey to past Canine Week participants at the start of planning for the 2025 event. One of the key findings from this outreach was that handlers wanted exposure and socialization to a variety of different training environments during Canine Week. This session was designed to address this input and featured a variety of different environments to build EDC team capabilities.
ATF Special Agent in Charge Bryan Miller said, “K9s are a critical public safety asset, using their specialized skills to help detect and deter threats that endanger our communities. By training alongside our partners from local, state, and federal agencies across New York, we strengthen our coordination and enhance our collective readiness. We’re grateful to the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services for hosting this scenario-based training and to the ATF K9 trainers who are providing certification for the National Odor Recognition Test. Together, we are adding layers of security to help safeguard New Yorkers in every environment.”
The following law enforcement agencies participated (some with multiple teams):
- Broome County Sheriff’s Office
- Buffalo Police Department
- Colonie Police Department
- Delaware County Sheriff's Office
- Erie County Sheriff’s Office
- Irondequoit Police Department
- Jefferson County Sheriff's Office
- Livingston County Sheriff's Office
- Monroe County Sheriff's Office
- MTA Police Department
- Nassau County Police Department
- New Hartford Police Department
- New York State Police
- Niagara County Sheriff's Office
- NYC Department of Corrections
- NYPD Transit Bureau
- NYS University Police - SUNY Morrisville
- Oneida County Sheriff's Office
- Orange County Sheriff's Office
- Orchard Park Police Department
- Otsego County Sheriff’s Office
- Port Authority Police Department
- Rochester Police Department
- Rockland County Sheriff’s Office
- Schenectady County Sheriff’s Office
- Seneca County Sheriff’s Office
- Town of New Windsor Police Department
- Town of Newburgh Police Department
- Troy Police Department
- Utica Police Department
- Westchester County Police Department
About the State Preparedness Training Center
New York State is home to one of the premier first responder training facilities in the nation – the State Preparedness Training Center (SPTC) in Oriskany. Located on 1,100 acres, the SPTC offers an extensive series of realistic training venues, a Swift Water and Flood Training (SWFT) venue, a 45,000 square foot CityScape complex, and an Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) simulator. From classroom lectures and discussions to skill development lanes to reality and high-performance scenario-based training, the SPTC offers state, local, and federal agencies a spectrum of opportunities for dynamic emergency first responder training.
About the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services
The Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services provides leadership, coordination and support for efforts to prevent, protect against, prepare for, respond to, and recover from terrorism, natural disasters, threats, fires and other emergencies. For more information, visit the Facebook page, follow @NYSDHSES on X, or visit dhses.ny.gov.
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