EPIC - Explosive Plume Interdiction Canine

Using pioneering research over a four year period, our EPIC program produces incredible explosive detection dogs

What is the EPIC Program?

“EPIC.” An adjective defined in The Oxford English Dictionary to mean: heroic; majestic; impressively great. Highland Canine Training LLC’s EPIC Program has a modified definition, however these qualities are abundantly represented within our brand.

Our Explosive Plume Interdiction Canine program was forged over a four year period of evolutionary research. With multinational domestic terrorism and violence with firearms constantly on the rise, our objective was to create a new generation of superior explosive detection canines. Our research has allowed us to develop a program that provides the ultimate in canine security with effectiveness that is unparalleled in the industry.

explosives detection dog security

What is an EPIC Dog?

As the acronym (Explosive Plume Interdiction Canine) suggests, an EPIC dog is a canine unit that we have systematically trained to detect and pursue airborne currents of odor to locate an explosive at its origin. EPIC dogs excel in the detection of explosives situated on that of single or multiple moving human beings. Also equipped with the necessary training, it is a standard that an EPIC unit possesses the capability to likewise detect and present explosives situated in a static environment. This affords both the EPIC unit and their employers the luxury to quickly and efficiently locate potential explosives concealed on people or amidst the environment without the need for 2 separate canines. An EPIC unit’s method of deployment is flexible and is subject to an employer’s standard operating procedure, ambition or gambit.

By virtue of our canines meticulous ability to probe the environment for airborne explosive odor an EPIC Canine unit has the capacity to screen immense crowds to locate contraband. An EPIC unit is non-intrusive to the public and has the aptitude to screen 100 plus people per minute with minimal obstruction to foot traffic. They can operate delicately through a crowd whilst on patrol or furthermore be placed in strategic locations to screen crowds of people as they pass their checkpoint.

Before You Rely On Them, Count On Us!

Highland Canine Training is a woman owned business and has been in operation for over a decade. Since our inception it has been the intent to navigate our company and its product with bearings of excellence. To be blunt we are a quality over quantity business.

Both our owner along with the head trainer have enjoyed successful law enforcement careers and continue to do so as they remain current sworn Police Officers. Years of exposure within the law enforcement community, in particular canine units, has been crucial to the ascent of Highland Canine Training and affords us well earned experience that simply cannot be purchased.

Our staff consists of highly educated canine trainers with a strong presence of former law enforcement and military personal. As well as the United States, staff members hail from various countries across the globe. Our team’s professional background is as versatile as their origin which caters uniquely to the competence and aptitude that Highland Canine Training is proud to broadcast.

Our training philosophy is to never drift into complacency and to remain flexible.  We have an insatiable appetite for knowledge which has subsequently built us into industry leaders of detection research. We loathe doing things simply because they have always been done that way. Constant canine detection research projects bestow us with the expertise to produce first rate detection dogs and evolutionary training systems.

Highland Canine Training has trained upwards of 600 canine units and mentored over 250 professional dog training students since planting our roots in 2006. Our reputation stretches across The United States and likewise the global stage, with international military, police and government agencies regularly committing to an educational relationship with Highland Canine. Having instructed people from over 27 countries there has never been a cultural contrast we have been unable to navigate.

detection dog handler training
EPIC explosives detection dogs

Reasons To Upgrade Your Professional Security

bomb detection dog

The most recent statistical analysis of terror attacks on American citizens was published by the National Consortium For The Study Of Terrorism And Responses To Terrorism (START). The document outlines a 20 year period between the years 1995-2015. Regrettably, between these dates a total of 3576 US fatalities occurred worldwide with 3322 of these occurring in the United States.

Reports on Statistics is an essential part of documenting history, however we do not need to invest ample time researching numbers to draw the conclusion that terrorist attacks are becoming more frequent in the United States and the greater global community.

As humanity matures and continues to evolve so too does the campaigns of terrorist organizations. Today terrorists are routinely calling for and selecting “soft targets” as objectives for planned and future strikes. Soft targets are selected because they are uncomplicated, easy and can be hit significantly with a strong likelihood of substantial casualties. Between 1968 and 2005, 72 percent of terrorist attacks worldwide (8,111) were against soft targets and the frequency is expected to continue increasing, especially in the United States.

By definition a soft target is a person or thing that is relatively unprotected or vulnerable, especially to military or terrorist attack. Soft targets include but are not limited to:

– Hospitals

– Sports Venues

– Facilities of water/ energy

– Restaurants

– Churches

– Night clubs

– Malls

– Supermarkets 

– Transportation hubs

– Schools

– Hotels

As it is becoming conventional for soft targets to persevere with aggression, upgrading private security is an attractive concept. Unfortunately government capabilities can be discrepant in regards to real world scenarios, however relying on the private sector to fill the void is an elementary solution. Possessing attachments of private security also affords soft target companies the freedom to utilize them at their own discretion. Such privilege is not commonly available with the use of government employees. The presence of private security will endeavor to halt hostilities before they have the opportunity to materialize and can also aid as a visual deterrent to a terrorist faction before commencing to plot an aggression.

The issue of global terrorism is a controversial and popular debate. Whilst the politics of the situation work to produce a solution there is no argument that security protocols should be arranged for the safety of the general public. Another contended dilemma is that of violence with firearms. If we compare statistics of deaths by firearms in the United States to that of deaths by terrorism between the years 2001-2004, terrorism produced 3,412 fatalities while firearms contribute to an exorbitant 440,095. When these numbers are narrowed down to “mass shootings” it becomes clear that there should also be an obligation for security to detect and remove firearms in some public venues. Mass shootings are defined as having 4 or more victims and does not include gang killings or slayings which involve the death of multiple family members. Since 2012 there have been at least 30 episodes of mass shootings and according to data from 2013 incidences in schools and businesses represent 7 out of 10 active shootings. These studies are not soothing however it is important to acknowledge so security contingencies can be prepared to protect the community.

It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.

-Warren Buffett

With the prevalence of intercontinental terrorism and violence with firearms consistently on the rise it is a sound decision for a business to begin upgrading their security measures. Historically the repercussions of an explosive detonation or public shooting have been that of innocent civilian casualties, wounded and communal trepidation.

If unfortunately these concerns blossom into reality and it is released publicly of a companies relaxed security, the potential blow a business’s reputation will be forced to endure may wind up to be more costly than any collateral damage sustained in the incident.

Why Choose EPIC Dogs

When it comes to enhancing safety measures to inhibit the practice of explosive and firearm violence there can be a volume of options. Fortunately the Pentagon has already invested close to 19 billion dollars over a six year research period to greater understand which options are the most viable. The Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization (JIEDDO) was tasked to better find ways of detecting and neutralizing roadside bombs in Afghanistan and Iraq. The most sophisticated detectors JIEDDO could cultivate would only locate 50% of IED’s in these areas of operations. It was discovered that when soldiers were deployed with an explosive detection dog those numbers rose to 80%. 

Lieutenant General Michael Oates who was the commander of JIEDDO simply announced that there was nothing in the US arsenal for bomb detection more powerful than a dog’s nose. The money has been invested, the research has been conducted and it is indisputable that a detection canine is the second best option for detection and prevention of an explosive attack. The best option being an Explosive Plume Interdiction Canine.

dogs find explosives on people

What Makes EPIC Dogs Better?

explosives dog finds odor on people

An Explosive Plume Interdiction Canines ability to identify and locate explosive odor on moving, as well as stationary targets is one of the aspects that make them such a resourceful tool in the scope of security operations. They are trained with an understanding of a concept that at Highland Canine Training we refer to as “obedience to odor”. Essentially this means that no matter the context, if there is explosive odor present they will discover it. 

Our EPIC dogs are as flexible as any given scenario and can be deployed in a multitude of detection tasks. This grants administration the freedom to deploy EPIC units to the full potential of their ambitions. It is also a more cost effective solution then having separate canine teams, one to examine crowds and another to sweep buildings etc. Our EPIC program does not specialize in the training of person worn explosive detection dogs. It specializes in the training of superior explosives detection canines, adept at uncovering explosive odor in any given condition.

EPIC handler teams will also be able to work their canines with an off leash capability. EPIC dogs are equipped with off leash directional commands similar to that of a hunting or search and rescue dog. Handlers are able to communicate with their canines from a distance using commands that will be specifically trained at the request of their employer. Applying this attribute, an area of interest can be highlighted to the dog at a distance so that they can subsequently be sent to conduct a search on the location. When they are satisfied with the examination, the handler can either summon the dog to retire on his position or assign him another seeking effort in a separate position.

At Highland Canine training we adopt a training philosophy that has been an integral component of our success in regard to canine substance detection. The code we revolve around is “the only consistency in detection dog training is odor.” This means that our training is ever evolving and we are perpetually striving to train our canines in new and advanced surroundings. The result is that no matter the condition our detection dogs will successfully locate odor, and when the topic is that of odor we continue to hold the status of subject matter experts. Due to our ongoing detection research we have matured protocols within our training systems to manufacture dominant detection canines. Our analysis contributes in particular to the imprinting process of our detection dogs. The process is uncommonly thorough in the industry to ensure our canines are intimate with the target odors that they are required to hunt. The only society with a more in depth understanding of explosive odor then Highland Canine consists of the EPIC dogs that we train. Explosive odors that EPIC dogs are trained to detect include:

Ammonium Nitrate
Potassium Chlorate
Dynamite
TNT
TATP
HMTD
RDX
PETN
Black Powder
Smokeless Powder
Nitrocellulose
Semtex A & H
C4
Nitro Dynamite

EPIC canines are educated on the finest training aids available. To produce first rate canines we will solely utilize premium explosive odors in our craft. The training aids we exploit will only ever be 100 percent pure explosive odor, and EPIC canines will be educated on residual odors through to large quantities of 200+ kg. This establishes a reliable EPIC dog that will remain “obedient to odor” as previously discussed.

Once the process of imprinting an Epic dog has been executed the intensity of training does not subside. The learning curve continues to endure at a challenging yet reasonable pace. Highland Canine Training comprehends that the use of homemade explosives (HME) is becoming prevalent in real world hostile incidents so we intentionally facilitate this into our training. Training scenarios will be manipulated to include HME detection with creative yet realistic scenarios. Regardless of packaging or where an explosive may be concealed on a being, item or location an EPIC dog possess the dexterity to locate it with sound expertise.