DENVER (KDVR) — Denver Public Schools is rolling out a new layer of protection for students, specially trained K-9s. They can sniff out guns at school events before a threat ever emerges.
“The dogs are incredibly smart, and they’re able to detect those micro particles, the gunshot residues, those things associated with handguns. So there is definitely the ability to detect. But also in a preventative way as well,” said Chief of Climate and Safety at DPS Gregory Casey.
Vivian is a Labrador Retriever with years of experience at major sporting events and concerts.
Now, she’s bringing those skills to schools.
“We started off at the Super Bowl in LA,” said Bob Lovelace with K2K9. “She’s got four Super Bowls, four drafts, some combines, all that kind of good stuff under her belt. She’s done some Taylor Swift, Elton John. So, she has gotten around, absolutely.”
The dogs are trained to move through crowds, sniff for potential threats and remain calm even in noisy, high-energy environments.
Their presence is meant to protect and reassure.
“We’ll start off by sweeping the inside of the stadium, doing the static work, making sure nothing was left behind or stuck in when nobody was there, said Bob Lovelace, Regional Manager with K2K9 Solutions. “Then once we do that, we’ll post to the two different gates and we’ll rotate the dogs in and out.”
The pilot program, funded at $160,000, will run through the first semester and focus on large school events.
Lovelace explained some of the signals you can expect from the dogs when they detect a weapon.
“So as Chief came up today, as you can see, he’s kind of in uniform, but not totally,” he said. “She was trying to maybe get after that, and she sat in front of him, and she wouldn’t come off, and then she started whining at me because she knows he has a firearm on him.”
Casel said the district has been using metal detectors for the last 5-6 years.
“Metal detectors are only at the front entrance. Our K-9 partners like Vivian can go wherever they want, go throughout the stadium, go throughout a building,” he said. “So, they’re much more versatile. They have much more greater expansion.”
Officials said these dogs are both a safety tool and part of the school community.
“They are working dogs,” said Casel. “They’re very friendly. They know how to do their job. And weapons do not belong on our property.”
The pilot program isn’t limited to any specific schools right now, and DPS is actively seeking feedback from parents and the community to shape how these K-9s are used across the district.
Anthony Sutton is a business strategist and writer with a passion for management, leadership, and entrepreneurship. With years of experience in the corporate world, he shares insights on business growth, strategy, and innovation through management-opleiding.org.
