This past summer we introduced our latest K9 location tracking system with a new interface and several new features. In this release we’ve made a number of important improvements to make tracking even better.

Filtering

The first major change is track filtering. GPS data isn’t always accurate, especially in thick trees or next to buildings. This update uses advanced filtering to hide bad data so that there are fewer spikes on the route. This gives you a smoother, more consistent looking track, even in challenging conditions.

Improved orientation

A line on a map shows you where you’ve gone but the direction that you’ve travelled isn’t always obvious. As of this release, all track paths include integrated direction arrows to make this more clear. We’ve also added an orientation indicator so you can see which direction you’re facing. This blue “fan” spins to show your current direction on the map in real time and makes it much easier to get your bearing. This can be invaluable, especially when you’re in a hurry and need to know which way is up. For now, the orientation feature is only available on iPhones.

Enhancements

This release includes dozens of minor location tracking enhancements. Tracking reports are now more informative with a detailed breakdown of all track pins. The History page records all track interactions. We’ve made several enhancements to the tracking map window to make it easier to use and more intuitive. And along the way we squashed a bunch of small bugs and made changes to improve reliability. This release also includes a new version of the PACKTRACK app which restores the back button functionality for Android users.

The PACKTRACK app will update to the new version automatically over the coming week or so but feel free to download the latest version from your app store now. We love hearing your feedback. Please let us know if these features are working well for you or something doesn’t function as expected. We’re here to help.

Do you often train alone? Have you ever wanted to record 15 minutes of obedience training without wading through a mountain of forms? Quality K9 record keeping takes time but it shouldn’t be painful. We spend a lot of time making the PACKTRACK interface fast and convenient so you can focus on creating high quality records. With the latest Quick Training feature we’ve taken our passion for accuracy and efficiency to a new level. Try it out now to capture key training information with just a few taps on your phone.

What is it?

Solo Quick Training is designed specifically for patrol handlers who aren’t currently training in a group. It allows you to efficiently capture relevant training information on your phone as you perform the exercise. You can then choose to complete the exercise with additional details about the performance of your dog or save the record so that it can be completed later. In either case, the event and exercise record are created automatically.

The new compact interface is designed to capture the minimum data necessary to define your training activity. You may be familiar with using the “Five Ws” (who, what, where, when and why) to tell a story or gather information. On the Quick Training screen there are 4 field types: Location (where), Date/Time & Duration (when), Dog (who) and Patrol Type (what). When you choose to complete the exercise then your narrative will cover the “why”.

How does it work?

The new Solo Quick Training option is shown in the + (Plus) menu on the Records page in the PACKTRACK mobile app. Note that this feature is meant to be used on your phone when you’re training and isn’t available on the mypacktrack.com website.

The form is designed to prepopulate based on the current time and location as well as knowledge of your past training activities. For example, it might predict that you’re doing 15 minutes of obedience training with your default dog. You can, of course, edit any of the fields that are incorrect. At this point there are 2 choices: complete the exercise now or save it for later.

In the simplest case, you’ll decide to do some training, tap the Solo Quick Training option, possibly edit one of the fields and then tap Save For Later. That’s it. We’ll capture the time of day, duration of training, location, weather, type of training and which dog participated. You can choose to complete the training a little later on your phone or wait until you’re back at your computer. At that point you’ll add details explaining exactly how you trained and how your dog performed. The goal isn’t to remove detail from your records but rather to capture critical information quickly so that you can focus on providing the record details that matter.

Perhaps you’d rather complete the record right away. Instead of tapping Save For Later, choose the Complete Exercise button. The completion form for the selected patrol exercise type is inserted below the current form and you can finish the exercise on the same screen. Enter the required exercise details, type out your comments and you’re done. The event, exercise and completion record are all created automatically. It’s a good practice to review the records later to ensure you’ve included appropriate details about the training.

What else should I know?

Quick Training also supports exercises with multiple patrol types (aka “scenarios”). For example, to record an exercise scenario with both agility and obedience components, select the Agility Patrol Type, tap the + Patrol Type button and then select Obedience. The completion form will include sections for both patrol types along with a single comments field.

It’s important to understand the limitations of the Solo Quick Training feature. As the name implies, it can only be used when you’re training alone with a single dog. Group training isn’t supported. K9 detection exercises aren’t supported. And it’s only available in the PACKTRACK mobile app.

This goes without saying but we want to be very clear about what this feature is not. While it’s fast and convenient, Quick Training isn’t an excuse to cut down on the depth or quality of your records. Generating comprehensive records with detailed comments, which incorporate feedback from trainers and others, is essential for growing your skill set, improving your performance and protecting yourself and your agency from potential liability. We encourage you to review the exercise and completion data when you’re done to ensure you’ve defined clear exercise goals and properly explained how you worked to achieve them.

We’re proud of the Solo Quick Training option and hope you’ll find it convenient. We’d love to hear your feedback on how it’s working for you. If you find this feature helpful then please drop us a quick comment so that we know we’re on the right path.

PACKTRACK is focused on providing features that make K9 record keeping less of a burden. We want the system to be easy to use, reliable and convenient to save you time. Location tracking is a key component of this service. Our latest tracking release, rewritten from the ground up, makes tracking easier to use while providing several enhanced features. The design is specially tailored to the needs of K9 teams in law enforcement and search and rescue (SAR). In this post we’ll review the redesigned interface and walk through some of the changes.

Location tracking requires the PACKTRACK app and a modern cell phone. The system uses the GPS capabilities of your phone to track and record the movement of the K9 team, whether executing a deployment or conducting training exercises. Comprehensive tracking information is then automatically attached to your records. This includes an interactive map and key metrics such as duration, distance covered, turns taken, and weather conditions.

Note that the previous tracking system is no longer available and all existing tracks have been migrated to the new design. To use the new system please download the latest version of the PACKTRACK app (version 5.0 or above) from your app store, if you don’t already have it.

New interface

The upgraded PACKTRACK app includes a live map view with several map types and pan/zoom interaction. Detailed tracking configuration is available below the map. There are 3 tracking modes: Deployment, Training Lay and Training Follow. New in this release is the option to follow a training track without requiring a laid track. You can also set the visibility of a previously laid track depending on your training needs.

Once you start tracking you’ll get real-time updates on metrics such as elapsed time and distance covered. Feel free to add pins to mark any important locations or just put the phone in your pocket so it can track in the background.

The new system provides more flexibility when you stop tracking as well. You can choose to complete the associated record immediately, save the track for later, discard the track or resume tracking.

Location pins

PACKTRACK has always provided the option to add photos to your deployment track. With this release, location pins are much more powerful and can be added and edited in all track types. Add a pin to mark a specific location on a track with a photo and/or label. You can even add pins after the track is complete.

Supervisor monitoring

As always, supervisors can monitor deployment tracking activities in real-time and coordinate multiple K9 teams in a shared map interface.

Learn more about the capabilities of this new feature by reading the Tracking Overview article in our knowledge base. PACKTRACK’s location tracking system marks a significant step forward in how K9 teams manage and optimize their tracking operations. We’re proud to serve the law enforcement and SAR communities and hope you find this update helpful as you work. We’re planning several exciting tracking enhancements over the coming months. Stay tuned.

In the ever-evolving landscape of law enforcement, transparency and accountability are paramount. Departments continue to adapt to improve practices and build trust in their communities with fair policing. With the introduction of demographic data collection for arrests, PACKTRACK gives you another tool to boost your effectiveness and potentially defend yourself or your department against charges of bias.

As with all PACKTRACK features, it’s fast and easy to enter this data using our convenient mobile apps for iPhone and Android or the mypacktrack.com website. By doing so, you’ll unlock helpful data-driven insights that can inform decision-making and community engagement.

Demographic Data Collection

Demographic data is now mandatory for all new deployments with arrests. The 3 required fields are Race/Ethnicity, Sex and Age. Patrol deployments continue to include fields for People Found, Unintentional Bites and whether the Subject Was Bitten.

Each deployment report appropriately displays the provided demographic arrest data.

Demographic Insights

With this new data, the Deployment Summary report is expanded to include 2 sets of demographic charts. The first summarizes arrests and the second breaks down the demographic data for arrests with bites. This information helps to answer questions such as whether certain racial or ethnic groups are overrepresented in arrests or if there might be a gender or age bias in specific types of offenses. The reporting system allows you to isolate the demographic data for any segment you want: detection, patrol, specific handlers, requesting agency, location, odor type, etc.

This feature update includes a variety of related report improvements. For example, we’ve revised the supervised handlers statistics summary for the Deployment Log and Deployment Summary reports to include more data.

Thank you for all of your feedback which helps us extend and improve the PACKTRACK service. As we refine and expand this feature and others, we remain committed to fostering positive relationships between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Have comments on this update or anything else about PACKTRACK? Let us know.

We’re always improving the PACKTRACK interface. Sometimes it’s challenging. How do you make K9 record keeping as simple as possible while adding new features and extending functionality? With our latest release we’re making a few fundamental changes to the layout of the Records page. The goal is to minimize clutter and make things approachable for new K9 handlers while retaining the best parts of the interface to keep it familiar.

Updated layout

There are some subtle and not so subtle changes to the PACKTRACK Records page design. The search bar above the calendar is replaced by a new Filter button above the record list. The Report button is now beside the Add Record button above the calendar. We also grouped the various record alerts into a single TO DO button at the top of the page.

Simplified searching

To improve usability, especially on your phone, we moved the search form into a dedicated filter dialog. This is also the new home for your saved searches. The form layout is simplified with dropdowns instead of long lists. Less commonly used filters move to the Advanced Filters section.

The Records page now shows the applied filters using rectangular chips above the records list. This makes it extra clear exactly how your records have been filtered. It also makes it easy to remove filters by clicking the X in the chip. Press the Save button to give your current search a name if you want to use it again in the future.

Cleaner mobile design

All of the above changes are available on your phone too. In addition to the simplified layout, the calendar is now bigger and easier to interact with when you want to select a specific date. The Filter and TO DO buttons are relocated to the title bar at the top. To Create a report, tap the Plus button and select New Report.

Finally, we invested time in revising the dark mode colors to improve contrast and make the layout more consistent on desktop and on your phone. There are lots of other small visual tweaks as well. As with all changes of this type, some things are going to be easier to use while others may take an additional step. Our hope is that the overall experience makes sense and offers subtle, yet helpful improvements for most people. As always, if you have feedback on any of our updates then please let us know.

We release PACKTRACK “maintenance” updates quite regularly. This typically includes a collection of bug fixes and smaller refinements aimed at making your experience just a little bit easier. Many of these changes are guided by your feedback. We don’t usually share the details because there are often dozens of small changes. You probably have better things to do with your time than read a long list of release notes.  🙂

Our latest maintenance update is a little different. It includes the usual mix of bug fixes, interface tweaks and general refinements but we’ve also included a few larger enhancements. These changes are a direct result of your comments and feedback and we thought we’d share some of the details.

Training group shortcut

In a previous update we released a new Groups page to give you full control over your management and training groups. But what if you’re in the middle of creating a training event and want to modify a training group? Perhaps your “Templeton Training Group” now regularly includes handler Mark and you don’t want to have to add him manually to the event each time. With this update you can easily add or remove members from your event and save the change to your training group for next time. With this shortcut, there’s no need to make these changes from the Groups page. You can even create a brand new training group based on your currently selected event members.

Weather forecast and reload

Have you ever wondered what the weather will be like at your next training event? PACKTRACK now displays the latest weather forecast for the time and location of your training event right on the event page. This includes weather conditions, temperature and wind speed. We’ve also added a convenient reload option for any auto-filled weather data that’s added to your training completion or deployment records.

Notification enhancements

Thank you for all of your feedback on how we can improve the notification system. We’ve made a number of improvements that we think will be helpful. Have you felt overwhelmed with too many notifications? PACKTRACK now only shows one notification at a time. While there’s always been a Dismiss All button at the top of the notification side panel we’ve also added one right on the notification itself. For convenience, clicking on a notification’s content will automatically dismiss it. We’ve also changed several of the notifications so that the user who initiates a change doesn’t get notified. You don’t need to know that there’s a new upcoming training event if you’re the one who just added it. Finally, we’ve made a number of text and styling updates to make the system easier to use. For example, it’s more obvious when a notification has been dismissed in the notifications side panel.

All of the above new functionality is available in your browser and in the PACKTRACK mobile app. We hope these enhancements are helpful! There are dozens of other refinements and bug fixes in this update as well. Many of those were also changed because you shared your thoughts. Got a comment on how PACKTRACK works? We’d love to hear from you.

We’ve been incrementally upgrading PACKTRACK with a more modern look for a while now. One of the last few remaining areas is group management functionality. In this release we not only updated the design, we also took the opportunity to improve how training and management groups work.

The Groups Page

A K9 handler joins a management group so that trainers and supervisors can oversee their records. Handlers can also join training groups. A training group is a collection of handlers that commonly train together. The Groups page provides a convenient, unified place for configuring management and training groups.

We’ve made an important change to make it easier to work with people you know. Once you’re connected to another handler, either because you have the same manager or because you share a training group, you no longer need to send them invites when they’re added to new training groups. When you add them they will automatically become members. This new design assumes there’s a degree of trust between handlers that are already connected in some way.

This is the new Groups page for managing your connections. Let’s review each of the numbered sections.

1. Managers

The top of the page starts with a Managers section. In PACKTRACK, managers include supervisors and trainers that give oversight to a group of handlers. Trainers can create events and exercises for handlers and add training notes to individual training records. Supervisors have the option to approve or reject exercise and deployment records and administer certain handler account options (such as billing).

The Managers table shows each trainer and supervisor who has access to your account. Outstanding invites are also shown. Click a row to see additional details about the managed group. Use the + Manager button to invite new trainers and supervisors to oversee your records.

2. Training Groups

PACKTRACK uses named Training Groups to identify sets of handlers who often train together. A table on the Groups page lists the training groups that you’ve joined as well as any outstanding invitations. Click a row to see additional training group details or to update the group settings. Use the + Training Group button to create a new group or, if you know the code, to request access to a group.

Creating and editing training groups is easy. Click on a training group to open the editor. Use the Add Members dropdown to select any of your existing connected handlers or use the “INVITE A NEW GROUP MEMBER” option to invite a handler using their email address. When they accept the invite they’ll join your group and appear in your list of connected handlers. Note that you can only edit a training group if you’re configured as a group leader.

3. Connected Handlers

At the bottom of the Groups page you’ll see a list of the handlers with which you’re connected. This is similar to a “friends” list. The names are selected based on the groups you’ve joined in the Managers and Training Groups tables. You’re automatically connected to handlers who share the same supervisor, trainer or training group. Click the VIEW link to see the full list of your handler connections.

Trainers

Trainers invite handlers to be managed using the Manage page. When a trainer manages a handler they’re able to see all of the handler’s training groups. Trainers can also create named training groups for handlers. The trainer’s list of connected handlers includes the members of each training group for which the trainer has access.

Mobile

The Groups page works similarly in the PACKTRACK mobile app. The interface is a little different but all of the same functionality is available.

This was a big update! We hope it makes group management in PACKTRACK just a little bit easier. Have comments or suggestions about this or any other feature in PACKTRACK? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

PACKTRACK has always provided notifications about the status of your K9 training and deployment records. These alerts are shown in the bottom of the interface when something important happens. They’re displayed whether you’re on the main website or using the mobile app. We also send these messages by email. This keeps you in the loop about what’s happening even when you’re not using the system.

In this release we’ve extended this feature to include more notification types and to provide new configuration options so you can decide which notifications are sent to your email. These are the new notifications types:

1. Upcoming event. Get notified when future training events are created so you know your schedule. This includes events with either mandatory or opt-in attendance.
2. Exercise ready to complete. This notification is sent when an exercise is added to an event that you recently attended. The message suggests that you now complete the exercise and describe how your dog performed.
3. Exercise completion past due. If you haven’t yet completed an exercise that took place over 7 days ago then this notification will remind you that it needs to be done.
4. Exercise ready for comments. Trainers now have the option to be notified when a handler completes an exercise. This reminds the trainer to add comments and feedback to the training.

The user profile page now gives you the option of configuring which notification types will also send you an email. If you’re receiving too many email messages or finding that they’re not helpful then you can disable them.

We hope these improvements help you to stay up to date with what’s happening in your PACKTRACK account without being overloaded with emails. Let us know what you think.

We’re constantly updating PACKTRACK with new features, refinements and bug fixes. Much of this development is driven by your feedback. One comment we hear fairly often is that the interface can be too bright when viewed in a car laptop at night. Our latest release is aimed at fixing this situation by providing a light and dark mode view for your records.

Of course you can use this new dark mode anytime you want. Many people prefer looking at a dark screen in daily use as it can help reduce eye strain. You may also just like how it looks. Whatever your reasons, PACKTRACK makes it easy to customize your experience with the system.

The screenshot below shows the light and dark mode themes side by side.

All of the functionality remains exactly the same no matter which mode you prefer. It’s also available across all roles: handler, trainer and supervisor. Dark mode works great on phones too. It can even improve battery life (a little).

Using dark mode is completely optional but if you’d like to try it out then open your PACKTRACK Profile and edit the Details. Here you’ll see a toggle for switching between both themes. Change the theme setting, hit Save and see what you think.

If you’re using PACKTRACK on a computer then there’s a convenient shortcut for switching between light and dark modes right on the title bar.

Your selected view mode is saved with your account and will be remembered when you next login. Note that this feature doesn’t yet work in older PACKTRACK pages such as Groups and Custom Entries, though these pages will be updated soon. Also, report previews continue to show with a white background.

We hope this update makes your PACKTRACK experience just a little easier and provides some needed relief for tired eyes. Have comments on this change or any other area? We’d love to hear from you!

Trainers and supervisors provide important oversight in K9 record keeping. With our latest update these roles gain full access to the system through our mobile app. Read on for an overview of how the PACKTRACK phone app enables trainers and supervisors to manage the K9 record keeping process on the go. Handlers, trainers and supervisors can download the Android and iOS mobile apps anytime from the app stores.

Trainers

Trainers use PACKTRACK to create training groups as well as schedule events and exercises for handlers. They also provide data entry supervision and ensure that everyone completes their records in a timely manner. Just as important, trainers provide critical feedback on training. This includes personalized analysis of how the team performed in each exercise as well as comments on how the exercise was recorded.

The Records view allows trainers to add new training events. It also conveniently shows all past and future scheduled training in one place. The interface works the same as it does for handlers. Simply tap on the calendar to see any training for that date. Tap the plus button in the upper right to add new training.

Use the Manage view to see a list of the handlers that you’re training. From here you can invite new handlers, monitor record completion and view the Profile and Dogs page of each handler. Tap on any of the statistics (ex: 3 Late Records) to show more detail.

Regardless of whether they created the initial exercise, trainers can add comments when handlers complete an exercise. These notes become permanent additions to the handler’s training record.

Supervisors

Supervisors ensure managed handlers train and deploy effectively for the department. This role has additional supervisory options including paying for handler subscriptions and the ability to see detailed historical data entry activities. Supervisors have access to all training and deployment records created by each managed handler. They also have the ability to review and reject completed records. Lastly, supervisors can view active deployment tracking for any handler on a live map.

Supervisors use the Records view to get an overview of K9 training and deployment activity across the department. From here they can open records, create reports and approve or reject records. Convenient filters make it easy to focus on specific types of records or just those from a particular handler.

The Manage view provides access to handler details such as their record edit history and configuration options for their billing, profile and dogs. Convenient statistics link directly to the relevant training or deployment records with just a tap. Invite new handlers to be managed using the plus button in the upper right.

Open handler records by tapping on them in the Records view. From here K9 supervisors can review the training and deployment logs to ensure they meet requirements. Rejecting a record notifies the associated handler and includes the reason that the record requires updates.

Real time location tracking is available to all handlers. Supervisors can view any active deployment by tapping on the map icon in the deployment row of the Records Page. They can also view all active deployments on the same map.

Role Switching

Do you have multiple roles? Perhaps you’re a trainer who’s also a handler. Or maybe you use all 3 roles. It’s easy to switch between roles using the main menu in the upper left of your phone.

With this release we’ve also made switching roles more convenient. PACKTRACK now remembers which role you last used on each device. For example, if you prefer to add exercises as a trainer on your desktop but use your phone to complete the exercises as a handler then each device will allow you to use these different roles at the same time. It will also remember your role preference when you next login.

We hope these changes make your work just a little bit easier and more convenient. Remember: trainer and supervisor accounts are completely free. If you’re new to PACKTRACK then you can sign up for an account HERE. If you’d like to add one of these roles to your current account then just let us know and we’ll set you up. Otherwise, if you’re already a trainer or supervisor, grab the app and try logging in!