BOZEMAN — Two years since the idea was brought to the community, Gallatin High School welcomed its School Resource K-9, Copper, to campus this week.
Copper is a yellow lab, trained to detect ammunition, explosives, and firearms—offering an added level of safety to schools after the influx of bomb threats in the last couple of years.
Following more than a year of standardized training, Copper finally began to train with her handler, Officer Connor Foley, in November. And as of Monday, she was certified to start working in the school.
Officer Foley says they believe Copper is the first dedicated SRO K-9 in the state and are confident her presence on campus will be positive for students and staff.
"It just seems like a win-win. If you're talking about it's an extra level of security that all the schools will be able to benefit from. It makes parents feel more at ease. I think it makes our students more at ease. It makes us as cops more approachable to the student body and staff. And there just aren't many downsides to it," says Foley.
Copper's main location will be at Gallatin High School but she is available to assist at schools across the community.
