EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Regional Explosive Unit is welcoming a new member to its team.
In a news release on Monday, the sheriff’s office said that they had acquired K9 Amp, an explosive detection K9, which would be a first for the sheriff’s office.
Amp is a 5-year-old Black Labrador Retriever who loves food, according to Amp’s handler, Deputy David Glenn, who stated, “Amp’s a true foodie”.
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office
El Paso County Sheriff’s Deputy David Glenn and Explosive Detection K9 Amp.
Originally purchased through a State Homeland Security Grant Program, Amp was serving as part of the Colorado Springs Regional Explosives Unit with CSPD. Now the sheriff’s office is working to upfit a deputy cruiser to be more K9-friendly through a grant with Colorado’s South Central All-Hazards Homeland Security Region.
“I want to sincerely thank the Colorado Springs Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security for their continued partnership and commitment to public safety,” said El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “Keeping and growing regional assets like K9 Amp here in the Pikes Peak region strengthens all of law enforcement. When we invest in shared resources, we enhance our shared ability to protect our communities, respond to threats, and ensure the safety of residents and visitors alike.”
El Paso County Sheriff’s Office
The sheriff’s office says that before joining their department, Amp has had roughly 1,700 hours of training since 2022, and compared to drug detection dogs, which scratch or bark when detecting something, explosive detection K9s will lie down or sit in the area of detection without disturbing anything that could be explosive.
Being deployed on over 50 missions already, K9 AMP has done sweeps for POTUS, the Secretary of Defense, and more VIPs and dignitaries.
Deputy Glenn and K9 Amp have also come together to conduct 100 additional hours of training to prepare for the National Police Canine Association certification training, which they finished on March 12.
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