Seap trains security agents from Pará, Maranhão, and Piauí in the use of police dogs
Course promoted by the Canine Operations Center reinforces integration between forces and strengthens action in the prison system
The State Secretariat for Penitentiary Administration (Seap), through the Canine Operations Center (NOC), has completed another edition of the Canine Training course at the Specialized Instruction Center (Ciesp) in Belém. The training brought together 13 agents from the Municipal Guards of Castanhal (PA), São Luís (MA), and Teresina (PI), as well as military firefighters from Piauí and prison police from Pará and Maranhão.
Focusing on interventions in the prison system, the course began on August 17 and involved theoretical and practical instructions on the use of police dogs, known as K-9, in activities such as patrolling, searches, escorts, searches for fugitives, and detection of illicit objects. The training also included handling less-lethal equipment and non-lethal firearms, such as the 12-gauge shotgun.
Reference in tactical training with dogs
The NOC is part of the Penitentiary Action Group (GAP), an elite force of Seap, and stands out for its expertise in handling and operating police dogs in the penitentiary context. This specialization has become a reference in the North and Northeast regions of the country.
According to prison police officer S. Junior, the course instructor, the recognition of NOC's work has attracted security forces from other states. “Recognition is important because we achieve integration between security forces, which is essential for knowledge exchange and improvement of techniques with dogs, thus making Seap a reference in dog activities within the Pará prison system,” he stated.
He also highlighted the involvement of the participants. “The students' participation was very active. There was a lot of interaction and questions, as many had never had contact with K-9 work in the prison environment,” he added.
Consolidated experience
The NOC's role as a training hub has a solid history. In November 2024, the instructor team participated in the War Dogs Course of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), teaching a class on the use of dogs in the penitentiary system, lasting 21 days.
For prison police officer Kassio Sarmento, coordinator of the NOC, the dog is a fundamental resource to enhance the safety of the agents. “It is evident that the dog acts within the block, the control it can impose through its physical presence and barking. In this way, it helps in the officer's performance and in the officer's safety,” he emphasized.
Text: Márcio Sousa/NCS-SEAP
