UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State will host training exercises in explosives detection this week for police and their canine partners.
The campus community is advised that K-9 units from Penn State University Police, Pennsylvania Capitol Police and Pennsylvania State Police will be training from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 20) at Beaver Stadium and 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday (Feb. 21) at Eisenhower Auditorium. Eight dogs and eight officers are expected to participate.
The monthly K-9 training sessions are hosted on a rotating basis among the three law enforcement groups.
“The dogs are trained on a constant basis to keep their skills fresh,” said Lt. Matthew White of the University Police.
White and Wynne, an 8-year-old yellow Labrador, are one of Penn State’s two K-9 units -- Officer Dustin Miller and Rudie, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois, make up the other.
Wynne and Rudie specialize in the detection of explosives and are used heavily during football games as well as when VIPs visit campus. The University also makes K-9 units available beyond campus, assisting at the likes of schools and courthouses. On Thursday and Friday, the dogs will be put through search exercises involving various explosive odors. The dogs are part of the University Police’s bomb squad, one of 12 in the state.
For more information, contact University Police at 814-863-1111.