Why are K-9s patrolling Bulloch County high schools this year?

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - K-9’s will now be roaming the halls of Bulloch County high schools. Deputies say their initiative to keep Bulloch County Schools safe just took another step forward with new furry faces welcoming in students this year.

Meet K-9 Beans and Fox.

They will be the newest additions to Southeast Bulloch and Statesboro High School starting later this month. This is the first time ever in Bulloch County that canines will be stationed at the schools.

Lieutenant Jimmy Billings says they will be tasked with working alongside the school resource officers by aiding in sniffing out firearms and drugs.

“To keep it safe. To keep schools safe. It’s just another layer of safety that will keep our schools safe and our students safe,” said Lt. Jimmy Billings, SRO Commander.

Deputies say this extra patrol is needed with an increase of reported contraband in the county’s high schools, including last week, when a student brought a gun into Statesboro High School.

“We want these dogs to be a prevention thing to deter kids from bringing that stuff because they know that these dogs will be able to smell it,” Billings said.

When the idea of K-9s was first proposed, the school district raised concerns about how students might react.

“They were worried about their students. They were worried about people who are scared of dogs, which is a good reason. We explained to them what the purpose was. We are not bringing them in there to bite kids or scare kids. They are just there to protect things,” Billings explained.

The dogs’ handlers say these canines are trained differently from patrol dogs so they can specifically work around children, ensuring safety while maintaining a welcoming environment in the schools.