The University of Nebraska–Lincoln Police Department added a new dog who learned the old tricks of explosives detection. Dodger, a “remarkable” K-9 is already making campus safer and more secure.
UNLPD acquired Dodger, a 23-month-old Malinois mix, in May. After an extensive six weeks of training with the Lincoln Police K9 program, Dodger and his handler, Sgt. Anderson Delgado, earned certification July 24.
He and fellow UNLPD K-9 officer Gida, a 5-year-old Malinois mix, sweep facilities for many athletic events, the Lincoln Marathon, assist with concerts at the Pinnacle Bank Arena, major campus events, and will also respond to reports of unattended items. UNLPD has maintained two K-9 teams since 2017. The Malinois breed has colors and markings similar to a German Shepherd, but are often leaner and have an athletic build.
For Delgado, Dodger is the third explosives-trained K-9 he has worked with at UNLPD. He joined the department in 2017 and became a K-9 handler in 2019 when the position became open. He first worked with Justice, a chocolate lab mix, until her retirement, and then took over handling duties for Layla until her retirement earlier this year. Delgado had dogs as pets as a child, but he has found that being half of a police K-9 unit is a much more challenging — and rewarding — task.
“This was definitely a new experience for me,” Delgado said. “This is the first time I've been paired with a new dog with no training at all. During the first week of training with Dodger, I questioned myself if I had made the right decision in selecting him. The first few weeks were stressful, but as days went on, Dodger was a fast learner and quickly picked up on the odors I needed him to detect.”
Delgado and Dodger are nearly always together, and training and work is foremost in all their activities. Per the Police Standards Advisory Council, the dogs must have ongoing weekly training and must recertify each year.
“Building a good bond with your dog is key to a successful team,” Delgado said. “The dog is nearly with me 24/7. Having a good bond develops trust and allows the dog to understand what is expected of him when asked to work.”
Dodger was purchased from Southern Coast K9, located in Florida, who brought Dodger to the United States from Hungary, where these Malinois are bred specifically for police work. Prior to joining UNLPD, Dodger had no training.
“We prefer green dogs,” Delgado said. “They have no obedience training and have not received any formal training. They don't even know how to walk on a leash. We prefer this route so we can train them the way we want, without having to overcome any training scars that they may already have.”
Dodger is able to sniff out 19 different scents related to explosives, as well as the scents of guns and spent ammunition. He and Gida are able to handle sweeps for most events on campus, though they receive an assist from K-9 units from the Lincoln Police Department and the Nebraska State Patrol for Memorial Stadium game days.
Delgado said Dodger likely won’t be as well-known on campus as Layla was. The K-9 handlers have learned that the dogs perform their tasks better when they don’t socialize with the public and have longer tenures. Most explosives-trained K-9s can work 8-10 years.
“I try to keep my dog kind of protected from the public,” he said. “Personally, for me, it's to preserve our bond. Dodger seeks me for attention, his reward, and overall instruction. We condition our dogs in environments where there are people around, loud noises, and distractions all around. By preventing others from socializing with him, it teaches the dog to ignore those distractions and stay focused on me.”
