DSU, state leaders 'incensed' after team bus stopped, searched in Georgia

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89. Defense attorneys often question the training, certifications, search standards used, percentages

of accurate alerts and the overall performance of specific police K-9 teams, both in controlled settings and in the field. Not all police dogs are trained to sniff out drugs, some are only trained to detect explosives, find cadavers or chase down suspects.

Attorneys are also questioning the canine handler’s expertise. They want to know how many times, if ever, the officer has testified in court as an expert in canine handling, and how often the officer has worked with a particular dog. Simply claiming the dog made an alert at the scene, often as the result of a handler's cue, isn't enough to establish probable cause in court.