Collegiate Times

At first glance, Boomer may seem like a typical two-year-old yellow Labrador. He gets jumpy with excitement when he meets new people and loves to bark when he wants to be petted.

However, this Labrador is not your typical pet dog -- Boomer is the Virginia Tech Police force's newest asset.

Boomer and Boris, a two-and-a-half-year-old German shepherd, have both been extensively trained to aid the police in several different ways. Boris will replace Hokie, a German shepherd that is retiring this year at age 11. Hokie specializes in narcotics and apprehension; his main job duties include locating criminals, tracking missing persons, doing building searches and protecting his handler.

But Boomer, who specializes in explosive detection, adds new expertise to the K-9 unit.

"In the past, we have had to rely on other agencies to a large extent when we had bomb threats or events when dignitaries visited and we needed to clear a room to make sure everything was safe," said Tom Foster, assistant chief of police. "Having one of our own enables us to respond much more quickly. And bomb threats, unfortunately, are not an uncommon occurrence. It's the time in which we live."

Both dogs go through a multiple-month basic training program, though their coaching continues throughout their entire career. Boomer is trained at least four hours a week by his handler, Officer Larry Wooddell, in addition to monthly three-day trainings with other bomb-sniffing dogs.

Boris and his handler, Officer Keith Weaver, go through at least 16 hours of training a month.

The expansion of the K-9 team, which began in 2001 with Hokie, to include a bomb-sniffing dog is an exciting step for the Tech police department.

"To have a bomb dog is not a common thing on a college campus," Wooddell said. "A lot of universities follow our lead because we are a nationally accredited police force. We're held to a higher standard."

Boomer was chosen from a pool of dogs because the department felt he best met their needs. Labradors are generally less intimidating to the public. The job of a bomb-sniffing dog is less stressful than the duties of patrol dogs like Boris. Boris is not as approachable, simply because his mindset is to always protect his handler, while Boomer is more receptive to strangers.

"You can use about any kind of dog, as long as they have that drive," Wooddell said. "The Lab is less aggressive looking and more people-friendly. People think he's mean when he barks, but he just wants you to pet him. You can pet and play with him, and he still is going to do his job. He's always looking to play. It's all just a game to him."

Boris and Boomer are just beginning their careers as police dogs. So far Boomer has been on one call to help the Blacksburg police. He is also part of a team of dogs that ensures Lane Stadium is safe before anyone enters on game day.

Another part of the dogs' job is to participate in demonstrations for the student body, often held in the residence halls.

"The dogs are a super tool to help us connect with the students," Weaver said. "In the last two years, we did over 40 demos with Hokie for the students. We're here for the students, not against them. Our students help us out with the dogs a lot by bringing us supplies for them. It's just been a great tool to bring the relationship between the department and the student body back."