04 January,2017 07:00 AM IST | | Asif Rizvi
Mumbai police return beaming after their four-year-old sniffer Labrador beats 120 canines across various forces to bag gold for top detection skills at an all-India contest
Mumbai police's Max after winning the gold. Pics/ Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Being described in superlatives is all in a day's work for Max, the Mumbai police's four-and-a-half-year-old Labrador. But, these days, he is a celebrity of sorts in the city police force after bagging a gold medal for detection at a competition in Mysore two days ago. He beat 120 other canines from the paramilitary forces, police and security agencies, sniffing out high-end explosives in quick time. Currently posted with the security and protection branch, Goregaon, Max's day job includes protecting VVIPs.
Max's proud trainer, sub-inspector Vinod Balla, told mid-day, "He has mastered the technique of detecting explosives in rooms, vehicles, luggage, at grounds and even on humans. It was his high obedience skills and quick detection that won him the gold in the competition."
Max, who was born in Pune, was bought from a private breeder and inducted into the force. He has been with the Mumbai police since he was two months old. For four months after that, he underwent training for commands and manners. Later, for a year-and-a-half, he was sent to the dog training centre of the Maharashtra police in Pune and then recruited into the force after passing with an âoutstanding performance remark' in 2013.
A dog's day
At the 60th All-India Police Duty Meet, it wasn't easy for him to defeat 120 highly trained dogs of the central security forces, including the BSF, CISF, NSG, RPF, and paramilitary forces and the police of states across the country. Max underwent three-month-long power training before the competition and followed a strict diet to enhance his performance.
Max's day begins at 6 am with an hour-long warm-up session; his handlers and trainers take him for a walk. From 7 am to 7.30 am, he runs; 7.30 am to 8.30 am is obedience training, including quick response to commands; 8.30 am to 9 am is breakfast and rest time; from 9 am to 11 am he undergoes sniffing-and-detection training; 11 am to 2 pm is rest time again; and in the evening, Max has a training session for detection of explosives.
Max's diet comprises 250 ml of milk and two boiled eggs for breakfast, and rice and boiled meat for lunch as well as dinner. He is also given bones three times a week. Not just during the day, Max has also mastered the skills to detect explosives at night.
A proud force
"He has also been undergoing training sessions at night and is extremely good at detecting explosives," said Sandeep Patil, another one of Max's trainer. "Max has won two medals prior to this gold - a silver in 2014 and a bronze in July 2016."
Max has been under the guidance of a team of senior police officers who frequently meet him on field on assignments. DCP Vijay Singh Rathod, ACP Pradeep Gosavi and inspector Anandrao Hake have been guiding Max's handler, coach and trainer. "There was a team of three judges and a three-member committee at the competition. Max scored the best in terms of time limit, which was 10 minutes for each stage of detection - obedience exam, human search, luggage search, ground search, vehicle search and room search, where explosives were hidden and the handler only gave him commands," said Balla.
Max's handler Sachin Jadhav said, "He has proved that he's a real hero."
Max during his training sessions. Pics/Sayyed Sameer Abedi
Max's day begins at 6 am with an hour-long warm-up session; his handlers and trainers take him for a walk. From 7 am to 7.30 am, he runs; 7.30 am to 8.30 am is obedience training, including quick response to commands; 8.30 am to 9 am is breakfast and rest time; from 9 am to 11 am he undergoes sniffing-and-detection training; 11 am to 2 pm is rest time again; and in the evening, Max has a training session for detection of explosives.
