From left: K9 Athena with Sergeant Platt, Smokey XI, K9 Kale with Officer May, and K9 Bruno with Corporal Quirin
UT Police Department’s four-legged officers use their trusty noses in service to the University of Tennessee.
From sniffing venues before sporting events, concerts and special events, to discovering drugs and catching bad guys, UTPD’s three K9s partner with two-legged officers to keep Rocky Top safe.
K9 Athena, a female Belgian Malinois, and K9 Kale, a male black Labrador, are UTPD’s explosives detection dogs. They are paired with Sergeant John Platt and Officer Kaylyn May, respectively. K9 Bruno, a male German Shepherd, is the department’s drug detection and apprehension dog. He is paired with Corporal Jeffrey Quirin.
The K-9s and their handlers train weekly for at least four hours around campus and with other area law enforcement agencies. The dogs go home with their handlers every day. They also recertify every year with a nationally recognized K-9 association.
Learn more about our UTPD K9 teams:
K9 Athena and Sergeant John Platt