Specially trained K-9 dogs able to detect contraband smuggling such as narcotics, explosives or unauthorized electronic devices can greatly help ensure security and safety of prisoners and staff inside correctional facilities.

From 12 to 15 October 2026, as part of its mandate to monitor, mentor and advise the Kosovo Correctional Service (KCS), the Correctional Unit of the European Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), with the support of a Finnish K-9 expert, has organised a comprehensive training to further enhance existing KCS K-9 Unit’s capabilities, which included a three-day practical session at the Dubrava Correctional Centre.

The training was focused on methods and best practices implemented in the Finnish prison system, and it was implemented under the second part of the small-scale project “Enhancing K9 operations within the Kosovo Correctional Service,” initiated in 2024 with the aim of strengthening the application alternative methods for effective K9 operations in prisons.