• residential
  • academic
  • corporate

faq : residential

What drugs can Centurion detect?

Most recreational and illegal schedule 1 (one) substances including marijuana, heroine, methamphetamine, cocaine, and Ecstasy are on the list of items our K9 services can detect. As new drugs enter the market we will introduce that new skill to our dogs. For a full and up to date list of detectable narcotics, contact Centurion.

Why do parents need this service?

When a parent suspects their child is experimenting with drugs, it is important they intervene early.  Statistics show early detection and intervention by parents and other trusted authorities leads to a more probable recovery.  Once young people graduate high school, studies have shown that half of all students report having tried drugs. Parents need this service when early intervention could save or at a minimum have a significant impact on the future of their child.

Are there other individuals a parent should consider?

If your child has a caregiver, such as a live-in nanny or other household help, you may want to be sure that drugs have not been introduced into your home.  External sources are a leading cause of introduction and experimentation among tweens and teens.

What occurs during a Centurion search?

Prior to the search, we obtain written permission to perform the search while the family (with the exception the property's legal owner or representative with documented power of attorney) is away from the house; this includes pets. The homeowner (or legal representative) must be present at all times during a search. Centurion cannot and will not enter a domicile without a signed agreement from the legal homeowner or representative. This agreement guarantees the complete confidentiality of the transaction. The K-9 and handler unit move from room-to-room and if a scent is detected, the dog is trained to alert the Centurion handler who will mark the spot detected.The search continues through the rest of the house and vehicles. Searches are performed while the party-of-concern is not present.  Not only does it reduce conflict and anxiety, it helps to retain discretion, should a subsequent search be warranted.

What if Centurion finds something?

If the dog identifies a scent, Centurion points out the area where the scent was presented, by the K9, to the legal homeowner or representative. The Centurion team does not seek out drugs; it is left to the discretion of the homeowner once the Centurion team departs. Centurion will NOT locate substances, nor dispose of them; the K9 service provides a detected scent notification within a certain radius, and presents the area to the legal homeowner or representative only. Centurion does not document results in its client records.  All alerts and presentations of scent are strictly confidential

If I do locate drugs after the Centurion search, what do I do?

Centurion will leave with you a Resource Kit of information, to help you locate professionals who have you and your child's best interests at heart. The Resource Kit Centurion provides includes tips on dealing with the situation and dozens of trusted resources on drug prevention and abuse. If you confirm the presence of drugs, you should consider scheduling a follow-up visit with Centurion after a suitable interval for on-going detection.

faq : academic

Is drug use in schools a problem?

A new national study of middle school and high school students calls U.S. schools "drug-infested," even though the major studies use to gauge teen drug use that started to show a decline.

The telephone survey for the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University, being released today, asked 1,063 student's, ages 12 to 17, about illegal drugs at school and whether they ever witnessed students high or drunk. "From 2002 to 2007, the percentage who said they attended schools where drugs were used, kept or stored increased 12 percentage points to 31% in middle schools. Among high schools, the increase was from 44% to 61%, the survey shows."

What occurs during a Centurion search?

Centurion performs a variety of searches for schools, colleges and universities. We are available for social activities such as dances, sports events, as well as scheduled and random sweeps during school hours. Please contact us to discuss a customized plan that is most appropriate for your environment.

Is Centurion affiliated with law enforcement or other government agencies?

No. Centurion is a privately held corporation offering confidential, non-invasive detection services.

What if Centurion finds something?

If the dog detects a scent, Centurion will not seek out the drugs. This activity is left to up to the facility. In fact, Centurion will NOT locate substances, nor dispose of them; the K9 service provides a detected scent notification within a certain radius, and verbally presents the area in which the K9 gave the alert. Centurion does not document results in its client records.

faq : corporate

Are drugs really a problem in the workplace?

Drugs In the Workplace -Substance abuse statistics:

  • America is 5% of the world's population, yet consumes 65% of the world's illegal drugs. (D.E.A.)
  • 65% of all work related accidents are the direct result of substance abuse. (O.S.H.A.)
  • Nearly 65% of people entering the workplace have used drugs. 44% have used them in the past year. (N.I.D.A.)
  • 70% of drug users are employed and 35% of all cocaine users sell drugs to coworkers to support their own habit. (D.E.A.)
  • Are a third less productive
    Are five times more likely to file a Worker's Compensation claim
  • Substance Abuse in the workplace is Expensive and Dangerous
  • Represent 14 of every 100 American employees
  • Request to leave work early or just "take off" early.
 Substance Abusers Are:
  • 3.6 times more likely to be in a job related accident
  • 3 times more likely to be late
  • 10 times more likely to miss work
 A Drug-Free Workplace Promotes:
  • Lower production costs
  • Lower medical costs
  • Decreased absenteeism
  • Reduced Workmen's Compensation claims
  • Reduced waste and theft
  • Greater profits
Federal Drug-Free Workplace Act requires contractors and grantees to maintain a drug-free workplace by
  • Publishing a Drug-Free Workplace statement and policy
  • Establishing an ongoing awareness program for employees
  • Requiring employees to inform employer of drug conviction
  • Requiring employer to inform Fed. agency of conviction
  • Requiring corrective actions for convicted employee

Why would a company use bomb dogs?

Companies looking for protection and defense against acts of terrorism proactively engage in benign search.  Explosive detection dogs can protect from one person to thousands of people.  K9's and their handlers can assist in building public trust even while many businesses cannot afford to lose the revenue after a bomb threat.  Explosive detection dogs can rule out or confirm the presence of dangerous materials in unattended packages, building, and vehicles.  By conducting proactive searches periodically, businesses are able to build community confidence.

Doesn't it take a lot to make a bomb, how concerned does our company need to be?

Anyone can build a bomb. The books and how-to-videos available from a variety of sources can allow this information to fall into the hands of not just a terrorist, but even angry students, disgruntled employees, cults, psychiatric patients or criminals, and the risk continues to grow.

What is considered a Secondary Device?

A secondary device is sometimes placed in an area to be activated when emergency personel (EMS, POLICE, FIRE) arrive on the scene of an explosion to assist.  The bomber generally knows not only the layout of the building where the device was placed but the response and protocol of the departments responding.  Often would-be bombers seek and discover information about a company's protocols through prank calling. The bomber can prank call the business in an effort to discover what protocols are in place  for different threats received.  Do not take these "prank calls" lightly.  Alert authorities immediately if you receive, what you believe is a prank call, someone seeking SOP (standard operating procedures) for your emergency and or disaster plans.

What happens if the dog "alerts" an explosive or bomb?

Centurion works in conjunction with the client's on-site security.  They would be present or close by while a search is being conducted.  If the K9 were to "alert," the handlers would immediately mark the site/room/vehicle with chalk, then make security aware of the find and retreat from the building while the security staff would initiate corporate protocol for an explosive find.  The bomb squad would be contacted.  Centurion does not engage in remove or disarming of bombs. Centurion K9 unit and handler provide detection services.

Can't a machine be just as effective as K9 units?

While both machine and K9 can detect scent, it is proven that the K9's are a more effective solution for detection of explosives and/or bombs.  Dogs are portable and can be transported to various locations according to the situation.  Dogs do not break down; they certainly need breaks and time to recoup, but their reliability has been proven much more effective than machines.  Dogs have proven to be significantly more accurate than any machines, both scent and x-ray. A dog's sense of smell is more effective than a computer, and the x-ray machine depends on the operator to catch the images and translate them. If a new threat has been put on the market, a dog can be trained relatively quickly to detect the new scent versus expensive upgrades for machines and excessive time for updates to be processed.