The University of Colorado Police Department has welcomed two new four-legged recruits, creating its first-ever K-9 unit for explosive detection.
Why it matters: The new unit lets campus police handle big-event security in-house and respond faster to threats or suspicious items.
Driving the news: The department over the summer brought in two 2-year-old dogs: Dax, a black Labrador retriever, and Harlo, a golden Labrador retriever.
- Dax is handled by officer Ryley Davis, while Harlo is partnered with officer Bianca Sipres.
Behind the scenes: Sipres told Axios Boulder that UCPD got the green light from the university chancellor in March for the canine unit.
- A four-year veteran of the department, she had no prior K-9 experience but said it was her “dream job.”
- “For one, you get to work with a dog,” she said. “And I think it makes you a better officer to be able to work side-by-side with an animal.”
Fun fact: Both pups live with their handlers, too: “Harlo’s with me 24/7; at home he’s just like a normal pet,” Sipres told us…