North of Sixty K-9 Detection Services 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.

N.O.S. K9 uses passive breed dogs such as Golden and Labrador Retrievers to alleviate the perceived threat that some people may experience from the typical breeds used by law enforcement. Our dogs use a passive indication methodology further minimizing any perceived aggressive nature. N.O.S. K-9 services are provided from a Health and Safety perspective however, our clients may assign a security officer to work with our Teams for the purposes of seizing contraband or recording information to assess the client's needs to address issues with individual employees.

N.O.S. K9 provides an avenue for clients to exhibit due diligence in ensuring a safe, healthy work environment which in turn protects assets and operations. Drug or alcohol impaired employees are a significant danger to themselves and other workers. These impaired workers can also be financially compromised by their drug use thereby putting the company assets, technology, and production at risk. It is also important to consider that many Northern communities experience an influx of transient workers and a significant rise in economic growth. This growth results in inherent social issues such as narcotic availability, and narcotic use. These social issues are causes of major concern in all communities, isolated or otherwise. The use of N.O.S. K-9 Detection shows the communities affected by this economic growth that your company is diligent in taking steps to minimize its footprint.