Firearms detecting dogs have become a crucial safety measure that also has emotional advantages amid the rise of gun violence.
As the new academic year began, students in the Wilson County school district in Tennessee near Nashville welcomed two new staff members, Zena and Zander.
These new members of staff are not janitors or assistants; they are strong labrador dogs on a crucial mission to protect the school community from mass shootings and gun violence in the country where the public carries guns.
According to Bart Barter, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office’s public information officer, “It comes down to being proactive rather than reactive.”
Wilson is among the increasing number of school districts nationwide introducing dogs on campus that detect ammunition and guns.
According to an analysis by CNN, there has been a drastic rise in gun violence at various levels in schools across the nation, from college campuses down to kindergarten, with the figures in 2021, 2022, and 2023 setting records for the number of incidents occurring on school property.
More schools started implementing security and safety measures as a result of the rise in gun violence. Frank Cilurso, the co-founder of 3DK9 Detention, an organization that provides weapon-detecting dogs to schools, stated that there had been a notable increase in the number of schools’ inquiries about the use of animals in recent years.
According to Cilurso, “It’s incredibly effective at identifying threats and helping keep people safe,” adding that schools often ask for Labradors or “floppy-eared dogs” to make students feel more comfortable.
Billy Woods, the sheriff of Marion County, Florida, stated in 2022 that dogs can detect ammunition, firearms, gun oils, smokeless powder, and gun lubricants when announcing the introduction of dogs in the school system.
Woods stated, “When we look to the future and the rising amount of gun violence that is occurring, especially on school campuses, it’s a no-brainer.”
In May, NBC News reported that 30 firearms were detected by firearms-detecting dogs in Dallas-Fort Worth schools during the 2023-2024 academic year.
School districts that use firearms-detecting dogs usually have one or two police dogs. The dogs and their holders make regular rounds and random visits to each school.
District officials who have introduced dogs in their respective schools say the animals are powerful deterrents. Erik DeAngelis, a police corporal and a school’s dog handler, stated that dogs were introduced in 2022 in response to campus shootings to enhance safety and security across the country.
Some administrators found guns and firearms in the bathroom and backpacks, but since the introduction of the dogs, no firearms or guns have been found in the building.
District officials stated that dogs have helped close the gaps between school communities and law regulatory agencies.
The various school districts stated that dogs are one part of the multi-layered security and safety approach. School districts already have a range of measures in place, such as computer monitoring systems, student resource officers, video systems, metal detectors, anonymous reporting apps, and more.
Barter said she would encourage every school to get some of these dogs. She stated, “You’re changing relationships, you’re changing lives, and you’re also potentially saving them.” “Having that opportunity to engage with students, because a dog draws people in, is priceless.”
