BATON ROUGE – The LSU Police Department has added two new explosive-detecting K-9s to join its two traditional explosive detection dogs already on the force. Jazz and Weeks are Labrador retrievers, trained to detect explosives and other substances, even as their target is moving.
When people move, they leave behind a scent in their wake. Jazz and Weeks are trained to follow that vapor trail. Unlike traditional explosive detection dogs that are trained to respond to static objects, Vapor Wake dogs are trained to respond to the odor itself, even while it is in motion and are able to follow the threat to its source.
“The safety of our campus community is our number one priority,” said LSU Chief of Police Bart Thompson. “We are continually looking for ways to enhance our safety resources and prevention methods. When looking at best practices around the country, Vapor Wake dogs are being used by the largest organizations in the country such as Walt Disney World. With all the large-scale events taking place on our campus on a regular basis, we getting these dogs and having our officers trained to handle them was another important step for campus safety.”
Vapor Wake is the only detector dog technology certified by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security. Vapor Wake dogs are uniquely suited for screening large numbers of persons quickly at events or high trafficked pedestrian traffic areas.
“Vapor Wake canines, Jazz and Weeks, and their handlers are the leading edge of protecting the LSU community during high-profile events,” said David Hanson, LSU Police community outreach/special response team. “The teams, working with established public safety partners, provide a non-intrusive method of mitigating hazards, so our students, staff, and guests are able to focus on enjoying their time with friends and family.”
