Four K-9 officers at the University of Maryland have just graduated from the department’s first explosive detection canine program, university police said.
The officers and their canine partners completed a four-month training course designed to help the dogs sniff out explosives on the College Park campus. University police said the team will also be used at large school functions that typically draw crowds, such as athletic events or visits from dignitaries, to provide additional security.
The school is the first to use dogs that can sniff out explosive substances carried on a person, university police said.
Four officers and their dogs graduated from the program Friday: Michael Balagtas and his dog, Chief; John Fitzgerald and his dog, Pink; Evan McCann and his dog, Sampson; and Matthew Suthard and his dog, Jimbo.
University officials said the unit would improve officers’ response to incidents on campus.
“UMPD is committed to the safety of all students, faculty, staff and visitors to our University. The addition of our K-9 program enhances our ability to locate and isolate potential hazards or threats toward the university community,” Police Chief David Mitchell said in a statement.
