DRPS Welcomes New Police Service Dog to Enhance Search and Rescue Capabilities

The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) is expanding its Canine Unit with the addition of Police Service Dog (PSD) True, a specially trained German Shorthaired Pointer who will support searches for missing, vulnerable and deceased persons.

True joins DRPS as part of the Service’s new Search and Rescue/Human Remains Detection (SAR/HRD) K9 Program, providing officers with an additional specialized resource for incidents where locating an individual quickly can be critical to their safety and well-being.

Born in Germany on June 29, 2025, True was specifically selected and trained for search and rescue work. His current capabilities include human scent tracking, evidence detection, open-area searching and human remains detection.

True can follow an individual’s scent across a variety of environments and surfaces to help locate them or determine their direction of travel. He is also trained to locate articles or evidence carrying human scent and can systematically search large outdoor areas using both handler-directed and independent search techniques.

True will primarily be deployed in searches for missing children, vulnerable and elderly individuals, non-violent persons experiencing a mental health crisis, and people who may be injured, lost or disoriented and unable to return to safety independently.

When True locates a person, he is trained to remain with them and alert his handler by sitting and barking until the handler arrives. This passive response provides an important search option in circumstances where apprehension is neither necessary nor appropriate, while minimizing the potential for injury to the person being located.

His training in human remains detection will also provide DRPS with another specialized resource to support searches and investigations.

The addition of True represents an important investment in public safety and the continued evolution of the DRPS Canine Unit’s search capabilities.

And while True has a serious job to do, he still knows how to enjoy his downtime. His favourite activity is hiking, and his favourite toy is, without question, a ball.

Welcome to DRPS, True!