Our Mission

Help Law Enforcement Find The Missing

The Alpha Team K9 Search and Rescue’s mission is to train, certify, and deploy highly qualified search dog teams and drone operators to assist law enforcement and other public safety agencies in the search for missing persons.

ATSAR dog teams have participated in hundreds of missing person searches. These search dog teams and drones have saved public safety agencies millions of dollars through the use of volunteer resources. All ATSAR services provided to requesting agencies are free of charge. No person or agency is ever billed for ATSAR’s services.

Organizational Readiness: Training, Certification and Deployment

ATSAR members incur all costs including gas, vehicles, training, equipment, and dog expenses. We rely on donations from the community to continue supplying this vital service. All members are volunteers with specially trained dogs. ATSAR teams are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to local, state, and federal law enforcement as well as other public service agency requests.

ATSAR provides a radio to each certified team member for field use. Many ATSAR members take time off work to participate in searches and training, drive thousands of miles a year, and spend 50 to 100 hours per month on training and searches.

Members typically train 16-30 hours a month. ATSAR members are encouraged to participate in trainings across the southeast so their dogs are accustomed to the diverse terrain and search conditions they may face on mutual aid missions.

Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) sets minimum standards for certification criteria in all canine SAR disciplines. ATSAR teams meet or exceed the GEMA guidelines.

ATSAR K9 teams are evaluated biennially for re-certification criteria (per GEMA). The organization trains evaluators after they achieve proficiency in the discipline. All GEMA-licensed teams must also be certified by a nationally recognized certifying agency approved by GEMA.

The number and distribution of team resources allow ATSAR to respond with the necessary resources in most requested searches.

Members are volunteers, and most work full-time jobs, but all are on call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If you have an emergency, please dial 9-1-1. If you have a loved one who is missing, please have your law enforcement contact call ATSAR’s hotline at 404-981-4911.

ATSAR cannot respond individually to families or non-law enforcement agencies.