Denver Public Schools testing K9 security at events

Denver Public Schools has launched a new K9 weapon detection program. The pilot program is district-wide and will run through the semester, while focusing on high-occupancy events. The district will collect feedback from the community and, depending on the results, it could be implemented on a more permanent basis in the future.

Vivian is one of K2 Canine Solutions' working dogs, and she has quite the resume to back her success. 

"She's got four Super Bowls, four drafts, Taylor Swift, Elton John, so she's done some pretty cool stuff," said Bob Lovelace, the company's regional security manager. "She also has two Super Bowl rings from the Kansas City Chiefs."

While she and the others are very cute, they also mean business when it comes to keeping the community safe.

"The dogs are all imprinted on 29 explosive odors, plus firearms, firearm residual, firearm parts, those type of things," said Lovelace. "These dogs do not care about drugs, weed, any of that kind of stuff, the only thing these dogs will apprehend is their toy. They are strictly here to help with safety within the school, and our goal is just to become part of the school community and the school safety community."

For Lovelace, the opportunity to work with DPS is both meaningful and personal.

"I was in the fire service and EMS for 40 years, so I was actually a first responder at Columbine," said Lovelace. "This has been like a full circle for me to actually being out here trying to prevent those firearms from making it into the schools or the school environment in general. So, I just feel really blessed, kind of at the end of my career and the end of her career, to have this opportunity."

The dogs search both the teams and the fans along with their belongings as they enter and continue to work throughout the event.

"We are always looking for ways to improve safety in DPS," said Gregory Cazzell, the Chief of Safety for DPS. "You will see canine partners at Denver Center for Performing Arts, court houses, Coors Field, airports, we were just taking a lesson from some of those playbooks and bringing it to DPS to make our schools safer."

Denver Public Schools has a safety budget already in place, so the district is pulling from that budget to fund the pilot program that will run through the end of the year.