Xantos, a German Shepherd Dog, and Marco, a Belgian Malinois,
are not like most of the dogs you know. They do not get excited
about chasing cars or fetching sticks. What they like to do more
than anything else is find bombs. In 1997, the UGA Police Department
became one of the first universities in the Southeast to use
canines. These dogs are part of the FBI-accredited bomb squad
at UGA.
“We
realized canines could be a tremendous advantage to the UGA Police
Department after the 1996 Olympics were on campus,” said
Police Chief Jimmy Williamson. “UGA has faculty members
who sometimes do controversial research, and we often have VIPs
and large crowds visiting campus. In all cases, we take their
protection very seriously.”
The
dogs are partnered with human handlers who work together to sweep
various locations looking for bombs and other explosive devices.
The teams practice and work up to 16 hours a week in twenty to
ninety minute intervals. Officers who are paired with the dogs
receive no additional compensation besides a 5 hour allowance
for care and maintenance of the dogs.
Xantos
and Marco work on campus, but they also help the UGA Police Department
meet their public service mission by assisting law enforcement
agencies across the state. They have worked with MARTA, the Atlanta
Police Department, the U.S. military, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation,
and other universities in Georgia. They have conducted sweeps
before visits from U.S. senators, the FBI Director, and they
even worked aboard Marine One, the President’s helicopter.
UGA’s
dogs began training as puppies and were about three years old
when they graduated from programs in Texas and North Carolina.
They cost $8,000 to $10,000 each will work seven to nine years
before they retire.
Chief
Williamson says that of all the units in the UGA Police Department,
Marco and Xantos receive the most calls for service. When they
finish a hard day at work, they receive care, and medical attention
when needed, through a special partnership with the UGA College
of Veterinary Medicine.
“Our
goal is to have the tools in place to deal with any credible
threats,” said Williamson, “and we are lucky at UGA
to have the resources and support from our administration and
the units on campus so we can do that. The best we can hope is
that those threats never become real.”
Competing
in a Global Economy
The University of Georgia is at the forefront of the globalization
movement in higher education with a wealth of opportunities for
international experiences. Our students are flocking to study-abroad
programs, thriving on the challenges inherent in confronting a
new cultural environment. More and more, students on campus are
also making choices that reflect an understanding of the importance
of global awareness—from living in a residence hall-based
language community to starting a radio program in another language
to minoring in a foreign language. These experiences, whether at
home or abroad, influence how our students perceive the world and
their place in it. We’re producing graduates prepared to
be world citizens—well informed, culturally sensitive and
technologically sophisticated. They’re ready to take on the
challenges of our global society, and they’ll be equally
at home whether in the Peach State or the Republic of Georgia. |
