From Penn State News reports.
Penn State University Police and Public Safety has added two new canine officers to its K-9 unit, enhancing the force’s ability to detect explosives, collect evidence, and support the efforts of University Police in keeping the Penn State community safe.
K-9 Bo is a one-year-old German shepherd handled by UPPS University Park Officer Dustin Miller, and K-9 Zain is a two-year-old German shepherd handled by University Park Officer Josh Quimby. Both dogs come from a breeder specializing in law enforcement K-9s.
As an integral part of the University Police force, K-9 officers must undergo an intensive 12-week Pennsylvania State Police Basic Handler Certification training course in explosives detection with their handlers before joining the team. During the course, the dogs are trained to identify and locate more than 20 different types of commercial, homemade, and military explosives, and to conduct searches for both firearms and shell casings.
German shepherds are known for their strength, energy, and exceptional trainability.
“We are thrilled to welcome Bo and Zain into our K-9 unit,” Quimby says. “These canines are incredibly intelligent and have a strong natural instinct to protect. I am confident they will make valuable contributions to the safety and security of the Penn State and surrounding communities during their tenure at UPPS.”
Miller echoes Quimby’s sentiments, adding that “Bo and Zain are not only highly trained, but also have an energetic and playful nature. Their ability to adapt and their strong work ethic will surely make them integral assets to our team.”
Both dogs completed their training in late June and joined UPPS in early July. When they’re not working, the police dogs usually live with their handlers.
Bo and Zain, along with their handlers, are stationed at University Park but travel throughout the state to assist other Penn State campus locations and local law enforcement agencies in various search operations. The K-9 unit routinely patrols and provides security services at key university events and facilities and typically responds to more than thirty emergency calls for service annually, ranging from the investigation of bomb threats at schools and businesses to the provision of security at large venues. Working on a leash and following their handlers’ verbal commands, the dogs are deployed for Penn State home football games and provide sweeps for large events and VIP visits on campus and will often assist other nearby law enforcement agencies in their investigations.
“The K-9 unit contributes to public safety efforts at University Park and Penn State’s campuses throughout Pennsylvania. Our K-9 unit also routinely assists other law enforcement agencies as needed in emergency situations,” says University Police Lt. Matt White, who supervises the K-9 unit. “Utilizing police dogs is the most efficient and effective way to search large areas for explosives and threats because of their natural physical abilities, combined with their natural instincts and behaviors.”
University Police established a K-9 unit in the 1990s, and officers Miller and Quimby have served as K-9 handlers since 2013 and 2015, respectively. The addition of Bo and Zain to the force followed the retirement of K-9s Wail (handled by Quimby) and Rudie (handled by Miller) earlier last year. Wail and Rudie are both Belgian Malinois, which are known for their incredible intelligence and high energy, and both were bred in Holland specifically for police work.
“To Wail and Rudie, working equates to playing, and searching is like playing a game. To watch the dogs and experience their skill and intelligence level is amazing,” Quimby said when the dogs retired. “The work they’ve done over the years to help keep the Penn State and surrounding communities safe is to be commended, and they will certainly be missed by the UPPS family.”
Established in 1926 as Campus Patrol, today Penn State University Police and Public Safety is responsible for protecting and serving more than 100,000 Penn State students, employees, and visitors at twenty-two campuses across Pennsylvania. T&G
