The University of Tennessee Police Department is welcoming two new members to its K9 unit, but their arrival represents more than an expansion of the department’s capabilities.

The new K9s, Boh, a patrol apprehension dog, and Whaley, an explosive detection dog, are also carrying on the names and legacies of two members of the UTPD family.

Boh is named for Ofc. Benjamin Bohanan, a former UTPD officer who was killed in a car accident in 2004 after leaving his shift. Boh will replace K9 Bruno, who previously served in the department’s patrol K9 role. Whaley is named in honor of the late Sgt. Phil Whaley and will succeed K9 Kale, who is retiring after years of service.

“Both our new K9s have different jobs, different training, but they will both develop a unique relationship with their handler and the officers they work alongside,” said University of Tennessee Police Chief Sean Patterson.

Remembering Benjamin Bohanan:

The department’s newest patrol apprehension K9, Boh, will serve alongside Cpl. Quirin, replacing K9 Bruno in the role.

Boh is trained for patrol functions including tracking and suspect apprehension, working alongside his handler and other officers in the field.

His name honors Benjamin Bohanan, who served with UTPD before his life was cut short in 2004. Bohanan was killed in a car accident after leaving his shift with the department.

More than two decades later, his name is returning to UTPD through the department’s newest patrol K9.

The naming provides another way for the department to remember Bohanan’s service and his connection to the University of Tennessee community, while Boh also continues the work previously performed by Bruno.

Honoring Sgt. Phil Whaley:

Whaley, UTPD’s newest explosive detection K9, will serve alongside K9 Officer May. Trained to detect explosive materials, Whaley will assist officers in protecting students, faculty, staff and visitors, particularly during university events and other situations requiring specialized detection capabilities.

Her arrival also marks the next chapter for UTPD’s explosive detection program as K9 Kale retires.

After years of service, Kale’s retirement brings an end to a significant chapter for the department’s K9 unit. Whaley will now take on the role, continuing the work while establishing her own partnership with her handler and the department.

For UTPD, Whaley’s name adds another layer of meaning to that transition. By honoring Sgt. Phil Whaley, the department is keeping his memory connected to the work being done to protect the university community.

Carrying the Legacy Forward:
Although Boh and Whaley have different roles, Patterson said both dogs will become important members of the department and will develop close working relationships with their handlers.
“Both these K9s will share something important: their names connect them to members of the UTPD family whose service continues to be remembered,” Patterson said.

For UTPD, K9s are more than specialized tools. They become partners to their handlers and officers, training and responding alongside them while becoming familiar members of the communities they serve.

“For a police department, a K9 is more than another piece of equipment. These dogs become partners. They train alongside their handlers, respond alongside officers and become familiar faces within the communities they serve,” Patterson said. “For UTPD, these two new partners will also carry something that cannot be measured in training hours or certifications. They will carry the memories of two men who gave their time and service to the University of Tennessee.”

As Boh and Whaley begin their careers with UTPD, their names will serve as a connection between the department’s past and its future, honoring two members of the university community while continuing the work of the K9s who came before them.