LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There’s some “sniffing around” going on at the Nevada Highway Patrol in the form of a brand new police dog.
This is Lobo, the newest member of NHP.
“He looks like a sharp focused professional,” Trooper Travis Smaka said.
A professional that just finished rigorous training to become a full-fledged police K9. He was donated by Silver State K9 to NHP.
“It was a marriage meant to happen…it’s almost like it’s meant to be,” Smaka said.
The troopers are thrilled to have Lobo because he provides a specific set of skills no other dog has on their force: the ability to sniff out explosives. NHP says Lobo is a force multiplier for the valley.
“Las Vegas is an international destination and it’s a resource we can use in our community,” Smaka said.
Lobo required many months of rigorous training to detect hundreds of types of explosives.
“Whether it’s a homemade explosive or military grade explosive, this dog has been trained to detect all those variations,” John Kelly III, Silver State K9 CEO/Trainer, said.
That’s along with hundreds of hours of training with his handler. It’s a partnership NHP hopes will grow stronger in the near future.
“He’ll have a lot of work for him. I guarantee it,” Smaka said.
