Meet the two newest members of Virginia Tech; Nero and Toro are explosive detector dogs
BLACKSBURG, Va. (WSET) - When classes begin at Virginia Tech in August there will be two new faces, of the four-legged variety mixed in with the thousands of new students.
“Our K-9 teams are an incredible resource,” said Virginia Tech Police Chief Kevin Foust. “In addition to helping us maintain a safe and secure campus, students and employees love to see them out and about patrolling campus.”
Both dogs are explosive detector dogs, more commonly called bomb dogs, according to Virginia Tech. They are trained to find 19 different specific odors that can be used to make many different combinations of explosives. Dogs are believed to have a sense of smell 1,000 to 10,000 times better than that of humans, according to Forensic Science International.
Both K-9 teams patrol campus and are responsible for sweeping Lane Stadium and other university facilities in advance of major events, including football games, graduations, guest speakers, and Virginia Tech Board of Visitors meetings.
Nero and Toro will also be involved in the university's policing efforts and give demonstrations at community events.
Toro’s handler, Officer Rob Ogle, has been with the department for two years. He and Ogle were certified by the Virginia Police Work Dog Association in June. Toro came to Virginia Tech as a donation from the United States government.
Virginia Tech Police Officer Austin Sumners is Nero’s handler and a four-year member of the department. Nero and Sumners graduated from the Virginia State Police’s Explosives K-9 Detector School and were certified by the Virginia Police Work Dog Association in June 2015. Nero came to Virginia Tech from the Slovakia Republic, in Central Europe.
In addition to Toro and Nero, Virginia Tech also has a narcotics and apprehension canine, Bax. He is a 4-year-old German Shepherd who has been with the university since 2014.