Paris Olympics 2024 to see elite CRPF dog squad for venue security

The Paris Olympics 2024 in France will have 10 Indian K9 (Canine) teams from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) to bolster and assist in providing security for the big event.

Scenting and patrolling at several locations that will hold Olympic athletic events are among the responsibilities of the Indian K9 teams. To prevent such attacks and uphold public order, significant security measures are being put in place ahead of the Olympics, which are scheduled to start on July 26 and run through August 11.

Specifically requested to help with these efforts is the K-9 unit, given India’s’security collaboration’ with France. The top K-9 squad from India will make their first overseas deployment when they help secure the Paris Olympics. The two exceptionally skilled and well-trained canines will be vital to guaranteeing the security of the games.

Special Training and Selection for Paris Olympics 2024

The five-year-old CRPF dog Squard Vast and the three-year-old Denby, who make up the special force of security dogs, were chosen for the position following a rigorous series of tests conducted at the CRPF Dog Breeding and Training School. They will be offering anti-terrorist and anti-sabotage security cover to various Olympic venues in Paris. Before their deployment, they also received specialized training that lasted over ten weeks and concentrated on the tasks they would probably be assigned.

Before leaving, their handlers had intense physical training in addition to rudimentary French language instruction. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) force, National Security Guard (NSG), and other CAPFs are among the ten canines and their handlers who were selected.

“They have been given a special 10-week training for this first-ever kind of collaboration of canine squads between the Indian and the French government,” a security officer told PTI.

“The dogs are from the sturdy Belgian Malinois breed which undertake infantry patrol and anti-sabotage sniffer tasks to detect bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and trouble makers in various internal security theatres of the country like anti-Naxal operations and counter-terrorist operations,” he said.

A second officer noted that, just for the Olympics project, the handlers completed a special course in basic French and received refresher physical training. The Belgian Shepherd Malinois breed is regarded by security services worldwide as their favorite choice for fighting dogs.

The deployment is anticipated to last until the end of the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, in which competitors are expected to represent 196 countries. “They have been chosen for this task after stringent tests conducted at the CRPF dog breeding and training school located on Taralu near Bengaluru, Karnataka,” the second officer said.

Extensive Security Protocols for Paris Olympics 2024

France has implemented strict security protocols to ensure a secure and efficient hosting of the Olympics. There will be about 10,500 competitors competing in the 2024 Games in Paris.

A report claims that 30,000 police officers will be on duty daily for the Olympics until August 11th. Fourteen thousand police officers are scheduled to be deployed for the 26 July opening ceremony on the Seine River.

121 athletes from India represented their country in Tokyo in 2021; this will be their second-largest delegation to the Olympics. The Indian delegation at the Games consists of 70 male and 47 female participants. With 29 athletes, track and field athletes will be the most represented, followed by shooters with 21 competitors.

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