Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization
Date: 1 May 2008
For Immediate Release
First Ever Scenarios Scheduled Outside Penitentiary Walls
Moundsville, W.Va. – For the first time ever, a tactical team will venture outside the walls of the former West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville to execute canine tracking scenarios during the 12th Annual Mock Prison Riot.
Members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in Florida will deploy their bloodhound, Tank, in two off-site tracking scenarios, one on Monday, May 12, and one on Tuesday, May 13. Tank is a non-aggressive canine whose specialty is tracking down bad guys by their scent.
“We received a request from Lake County several weeks ago to explore some different options for Tank,” said Steve Morrison, Vice President of the Public Safety and Homeland Security Group of the West Virginia High Technology Consortium Foundation (WVHTCF). The Office of Law Enforcement Technology Commercialization (OLETC), the National
Institute of Justice (NIJ), the National Corrections and Law Enforcement Training and Technology Center (NCLETTC) and the WVHTCF annually host the Mock Prison Riot, which showcases emerging corrections and law enforcement technologies to attendees from around the world.
“The Mock Prison Riot staff examined the logistics and issues and have determined that they can successfully accommodate Lake County’s requests,” Morrison said. “The fact that
Hank is not aggressive made things a whole lot easier.”
Hank and his team will execute a tracking scenario on Monday afternoon in a wooded area owned by the WVHTCF and identified as the Ireland Mine property. The property is located on Marshall County’s Big Grave Creek Road, about six miles from the Penitentiary. Hank will track a role player, or “bad guy”, through the woods.
The second scenario will be executed on Tuesday morning utilizing the Volunteer Fire Department facility on First Street in Moundsville to simulate an apartment or residence.
Hank’s job is to exit the Penitentiary with his team and track the role player nearly eight to 10 blocks to the lounge area of the Volunteer Fire Department. The role player will be hiding there.
“We deeply appreciate the folks at the Volunteer Fire Department helping us out in this regard,” Morrison said.
A professional law enforcement canine handler will serve as a safety officer for both scenarios to ensure that the scenarios execute according to plan.
“Our staff is always excited when we can try new and different things. Fortunately, we have the technology, resources, and support of our community to do so,” Morrison said.
“Law enforcement canines are fascinating to watch when they’re working. We are really looking forward to this.”
For more information regarding the Mock Prison Riot, please contact Cindy Barone or Sharon Goudy at 888.306.5382 or visit www.oletc.org.