When a suspect attempts to elude capture from law enforcement by running or hiding or when a person is missing and needs to be found, a canine and his handler are usually on the call to assist Deputies.

One of the ways a dog can help locate these subjects is by tracking. It was once believed that only certain dogs possessed the desired characteristics to be able to distinguish the odor of a certain person and track or trail that person. However, the world of dog training has evolved over several decades and we now know that dogs other than hounds are able to track or trail with great success.

A police canine's primary function has been and always will be that of a locating tool. It may be necessary in some cases to use the canine to physically apprehend a subject who is either running or hiding in an area that would put Deputies at risk by physically apprehending them themselves. In any circumstance, using a canine to apprehend a person is an option handlers only use when it is necessary.

Whenever a situation arises where a canine may be needed to physically apprehend a subject the canine handler has many things they must consider. The dog must be deployed within departmental guidelines and within current case law. It is the responsibility of the handler to know these two things inside and out because the decision to use a canine to apprehend someone must be made within seconds more often than not.

A dogs sense of smell is incredibly sensitive compared to the sense of smell of a human. A good example of this would be the cake example. When a human walks into a home where a cake has been baked, they smell the cake. When a dog walks into the same home they smell flour, sugar, eggs, and every other ingredient used to make that cake.

Handlers use this incredible sense of smell to be able to find evidence that a suspect either dropped or tried to hide. Every time a person touches an item they leave a small trace of themselves on it. The dog's sensitive nose is able to detect that human odor on an item and alert the handler to it.

A canine can also learn to distinguish other specific odors and alert their handler to their presence. One of the items the canines on the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department Canine Detail have learned to detect is firearms. All firearms have a distinctive odor that allows a trained canine to detect its presence.

Sheriff's canines have located several firearms in the field which could not have been located without the use of the dog. Many of these weapons were recently used in crimes as serious as homicide.