ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE AND VETERINARY PRACTICE: NIGERIA POLICE AS CASE STUDY.

The police veterinary section is an arm of the operations department of the Nigeria Police Force. The section whether at the force headquarters, Zonal Command or state Command levels provide logistics support essentially to the performance of  police duties and responsibilities within the schedule of the Force animal section. The force veterinary section with its sister departments of the Force Mounted Troop and the Force Dog section, form the force Animal section of the Nigeria Police Force. The Mounted Troop as part of its intelligence network uses the trained Horses to counter the operations of criminals. The Force Dog section uses the trained police service dogs with their high perception, agility and psychology of fear and freight to track down criminals in dangerous and impregnable terrain of the country. The Force veterinary section is bestowed with the task of maintaining the Force animals in good body and health condition as to enable them carry out the various security duties. As a result, the Force employs qualified veterinary officers and veterinary para-medical staff who undergo police training and are posted as veterinary police (VETPOL) to the commands. Force animal intelligence therefore involves among others, the deployment of trained service animals by the Dog Police, mounted police and the veterinary police in the police duties or maintenance of lives and properties through guard and patrol duties as may be directed by the Commissioner of police and Inspector General of Police Force Headquarters in Abuja.
FORCE ANIMALS: THE MOUNTED TROOP BRANCH:  The force Mounted Troop is an important arm of the operation of the Force. Then, it was headed by Mr. Musa Mohammed (DCP).  The department made tremendous achievements by reducing cases of robbery, theft of domestic animals and other related offences along the borders. According to news in 1994, a total of 98 arrests were made out of which 58 were convicted and #701, 394.00k (Nigerian currency) value of items recovered. The Mounted Troop and Squadrons have been established in various states of the Federation such as Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Yola, Bauchi, Abuja, Lagos, Kwara, Plateau etc.
FUNCTIONS OF THE MOUNTED TROOP BRANCH:  The Mounted troop Branch deals with crimes and other offences which requires appropriate police action such as:
(1) REDUCTION OF RIOTS: The Mounted Troop can effectively be used in stopping riots. The singular reason for its effectiveness lies on the strength and endurances of the horses, coupled with the fact that the rioters are easily scared when horses are charged towards them. For instance, the ABU Zaria student riot of 1985. The involvement of Mounted Police in students riots have always been one of chasing the rioters away from their target of destruction with the use of fast horses. Logically a lone Mounted Troop on a horse back can perform the jobs of ten policemen.
(2) OPERATIONAL PATROLS: This type of patrol is specifically designed for Troopers along the borders for the purpose of assisting police at the borders, thereby checking criminals and other heinous activities. For most of the immotorable areas of the Northern borders, the only police presence found is the Mounted police. In this operation, a lot has been achieved in the detection and apprehension of homicide offenders.
(3) CROWD CONTROL: This branch excels in the control of crowds during ceremonial occasions and sporting events. Troopers are conspicuously seen controlling crowds at stadia, amusement parks and political rallies. A Mounted Officer has a great psychological advantage over a large crowd and is able to see over the heads to pin-point areas of pressure, thus being able to prevent the development of such dangerous situations and if necessary take appropriate police action.
(4) PRESIDENTIAL ESCORT: This Mounted branch creditably performs its functions of providing presidential escorts and guards to Head of States, foreign Heads of government in a colourful manner in addition to its functions of providing security.
POLICE DOG SECTION: The police dogs serve very useful purposes in the prevention and detection of crime through patrols and visits to scene of crimes. The dogs are put to optimal use in the oil fields for the protection of the oil installations in oil producing areas of the country. They are also used during investigations to track down fleeing criminals or suspects in hiding and also search for weapons used in committing crimes. They engaged in crowd control of important occasions. According to news in 1994, the section made a total of 239 arrests out of which 194 were convicted with value of property recovered to #2,083,008.00k (Nigerian currency).
VETERINARY POLICE: Then, the Force Veterinary section was headed by Dr. J. M. Mohammed (DCP). It was established in 1975 and is the bed-rock of the Force Animals Section. It is an arm of the B-Department (Operations) of the Force and provides service to the port Authority, Military Police, Special Investigation Bureau and Dog Unit at Apapa. It has offices and clinic throughout  the Federation in the following state Commands; FCT-Abuja, Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Enugu, Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Kwara, Plateau, Sokoto and Kastina, P.H & Owerri.
FUNCTIONS OF VETERINARY SECTION:
(a) Treatment of Force Animals
(b) Veterinary investigation and diagnosis
(c) Advice of Animals Health Management
(d) Routine inspection of Force animals
(e) Veterinary preventive and public health measures
(f) Breeding of Force Animals
(g) Boarding and disposal of unserviceable animals
(h) Professional advice on Force animals as may be required by the Inspector General of Police. According to records in 1994, the department treated a total of 7,751 equine cases and 3,300 canine cases in the various Commands of Force headquarters (Annex) Lagos, Enugu; Military Police (SIB) which recorded 40 cases, Abuja and Maiduguri, Police Authority etc.
                        ENLISTMENT OF VETERINARY PERSONNEL
Persons who wish to enlist as Veterinary police would satisfy the provisions of the police regulation 47 pertaining to physical fitness, height, chest measurement, age and good character. Holders of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree are recruited as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP). HND holders in Animal Health and Husbandry (Vet Superintendents) are recruited as Inspectors whereas OND (Veterinary Assistants) are given the rank of sergeants (Sgt.) and School Certificate (Veterinary Attendants) are recruited as Constables.