Cap and growl: 5 new K9 dogs join DPSCS

MYERSVILLE, MD – Five dogs graduated into the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Service’s elite K-9 Unit today, providing additional resources to sniff out contraband in correctional facilities.

The addition brings to 54 the number of dogs used to find everything from drugs to cell phones in DPSCS facilities across the state. For the past six years, the K-9 Unit has averaged 93,000 searches annually in the department’s war on contraband.

Over the past two fiscal years, these skilled dogs have sniffed out 1,300 pieces of contraband. The new additions will translate into even more vigilance.

“It gives us more coverage to do searches and intelligence,” said Maj. Gregory Shumake, K-9 Unit Commander.

The graduates attended and passed a rigorous 12-week entry level K-9 academy and course instruction in drug detection. The dogs check visitors coming into institutions and also scan mail.

“The dogs are huge for us,” said Warden Richard Dovey of the Maryland Correctional Institution – Hagerstown.

The unit will grow even larger soon. Earlier in the year, Gov. Martin O’Malley requested and the state legislature approved an additional six dogs for the team.

DPSCS Communications Office Contacts:

Gerard Shields | 410.339.5834 | gshields@dpscs.state.md.us

Communications Office | 410.339.5081