In Dogged Pursuit of a Goal

They can take a bite out of crime.

But far more often, the dogs used by members of the Massachusetts State Police K-9 unit are used for less aggressive purposes.

They might search for lost children or sniff out drugs, guns or dead bodies, Sgt. Erik Ramsland of the Massachusetts State Police K-9 tactical operations unit told students last week.

He brought several police dogs to Maureen Cimoch’s health class to show how the animals complement the officers in their work.

Although people may see graphic images of police dogs biting suspects, such cases only represent about 1 out of every 100 calls that require a K-9 unit, Ramsland said.

Instead, the dogs often perform heart-warming tasks, such as finding a child or vulnerable adult who is lost and/or disoriented.

“It makes you feel pretty good when you find a person who would have died without your dog’’ helping, he said.

He explained that the dogs, which are primarily Belgian Malinois, Dutch Malinois, Rottweilers and German shepherds, are selected for police work based on specific traits.

A dog with high drive and a strong hunting and chasing instinct is an ideal candidate, he said.

They also have to be able to work among the public _ the dogs Ramsland brought to show the students willingly and happily accepted pats from the students.

But, on the handler’s command, they must be able to bite a suspect hard and hold on, even as the suspect kicks or even stabs the dog, until the handler says otherwise.

The unit has 41 dogs and responded to 7,600 dog calls last year.

It all comes down to training, including a lengthy period when the dog is first selected and then weekly sessions, he said. The dogs continue being trained throughout their working lives, he said.

“You get out of a dog what you put into it,’’ he said.

For Ramsland, working in the K-9 unit allows him to legally do two things his mother urged him not to.

“I get to drive fast, and I get to look for trouble,’’ he said with a laugh.