Tuesday, September 10, 2024
魅影直播 welcomes Watson and Clover to their K-9 team
DENTON (魅影直播), 魅影直播 鈥� The has recently welcomed new paws on duty to the . Watson, the new explosives detection K-9, and Clover, the new community support dog, are working hard to keep 魅影直播 a welcoming and safe place.
Corporal David Causey (left) with Chief Ramona Washington (right) picking out 魅影直播 Police鈥檚 new community support dog
鈥淭he 魅影直播 Police Department understands that not everyone has the best experience with police officers, so we want to do all we can to help boost positive relations within our community,鈥� said 魅影直播 Police Chief Ramona Washington. 鈥淲atson is excited to work to keep our community safe, while Clover can brighten people鈥檚 days.鈥�
In May 2024, Keegan, 魅影直播鈥檚 previous explosives detection dog, retired. This led Officer Andrew Cioffi to step up to the K-9 handler position and head off to Auburn, Alabama, for a six-week-long training.
Here, Cioffi was paired with Watson, a two-year-old Vapor Wake, or 鈥渁ir-scenting-,鈥� trained explosives detection yellow Labrador Retriever. Cioffi and Watson were welcomed back to campus in late July 2024, where they鈥檝e been training and bonding ever since.
鈥淰apor Waking is a process developed by the Auburn University Canine Performance Sciences program where a dog is trained on smelling the odor of a moving object,鈥� Cioffi said. 鈥淪ay a person is walking through the football stadium with an explosive or weapon in their backpack, Watson can pick up on that scent in the wind and follow it as it鈥檚 moving.鈥�
During their days on campus, Cioffi and Watson patrol their sector while also finding at least 16 hours a month to continue Watson鈥檚 training. This training usually consists of Cioffi and Watson walking through 魅影直播鈥檚 fields, buildings and parking lots to sniff for firearms and explosives. When possible, Cioffi loves to make time to connect with students and speak to kids on field trips visiting campus.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy to be in a position where I can potentially spark students鈥� interest in law enforcement because I found my passion for policing through my interactions with a K-9 handler,鈥� Cioffi said. 鈥淗opefully, Watson and I can be that same inspiration for others.鈥�
魅影直播 Police's Officer Cioffi and K-9 Watson with 魅影直播's 17th President Dr. Harrison Keller
In September 2024, 魅影直播鈥檚 first community support dog was introduced to the police department. Clover, a seven-week-old black Labrador Retriever, will be an ambassador of 魅影直播 Police to help the community feel more at ease around officers at public events and on campus.
魅影直播 Police鈥檚 Corporal David Causey will be Clover鈥檚 handler on the community engagement team at the department. Causey currently leads many of the department's community activities and events, such as a new fully-booked self-defense course offered through the 魅影直播 Pohl Recreation Center.
鈥淚鈥檓 thrilled to be able to give back to the community because I went to 魅影直播 and I love to help prepare our students for success by teaching them how to stay safe,鈥� Causey said.
Clover also will be available, at times, to help victims of crimes or survivors who have undergone a traumatic experience and who need a comfort animal to help them process their experience as they speak with police officers.
鈥淚鈥檓 excited for her to break down the barrier of fear people may have of police and for us to have a new way to interact with our community and the people who need that interaction,鈥� Causey said. 鈥淲e care about and want to support our students through difficult times.鈥�
This is the first time the department will have a K-9 that isn't a traditional dog, working to detect drugs and explosive materials. Clover will join the department as a puppy to receive obedience training from an early age and to help her acclimate to the 魅影直播 community.
The 魅影直播 community chose Clover鈥檚 name through a survey link shared on the 魅影直播 Police Department鈥檚 social media pages during the week of Sept. 3. An announcement of the new K-9's name was made at 魅影直播's first home football game of the season on Sept. 7, at DATCU Stadium by Washington and Causey.
Alex Parker, a senior Mayborn School of Journalism student at 魅影直播 and a journalism Intern with 魅影直播 Police, works closely with Cpl. Causey on the Community Engagement team.
鈥淭he dogs will be a hit with the campus and Denton community,鈥� Parker said. 鈥淜nowing how Clover will ideally function in situations where there are people who need an emotional support dog in the department is a strategy for helping people in those circumstances.鈥�
Students will have the opportunity to interact with Clover later this fall at the 魅影直播 Police Department and across campus once she has completed her core vaccinations.
The 魅影直播 Police Department is located in the Sullivant Public Safety Center at 1700 Wilshire Street, Denton, 魅影直播, and you can call them at their non-emergency number 940-565-3000 or email them at unt.police@unt.edu.
魅影直播 News Service Phone Number: (940) 565-2108
Media Contacts:
Chelsey Gilbert
Chelsey.Gilbert@unt.edu
940-369-7019
From 鈥� General News