North of Sixty K-9 Detection Services (www.nosk9.ca) was founded in Yellowknife N.T. by retired RCMP member Mark Hicks. He has over 32 years of experience as a police officer, 22 of them raising, training, handling, and validating explosive and narcotic detection dogs. Mark has extensive experience as a dog handler working in all of the Canadian provinces and territories and is aware of the challenges of operating in their unique environments. Mark has also handled dogs in overt operations where the dog is used as a visible deterrent and in covert operations where the need for secrecy is paramount to the success of the searching required.During the last five years of his dog handling career he established the RCMP Police Dog Service in the Northwest Territories. In that role he gained experience in providing K9 narcotic detection at mine sites, and oil and gas camps. His services were also provided to educational and penal institutions in the north. He has worked extensively with the aboriginal communities in their efforts to curb the narcotic drug issues they are experiencing. The isolated nature of these communities has provided the opportunity to work with air service providers, the trucking industry, and expediting companies.
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