Drug interdiction unit graduation

A big day for the department of corrections at s-c-i rockview, as new k-9's and their handlers joined the drug interdiction unit.

(john) our lauren handley joins us now with more on the significance of the event.

(lauren) in the 21 years the drug interdiction unit has existed, this is the largest expansion they've had.

Today's new graduates were recognized for the incredible achievement.

Nats: clapping mjr. scott bowman, chief of security "the k-9 unit is the tip of the spear for our drug interdiction efforts.

We also have electronic drug detection equipment inside our facilities.

We have search teams. we have investigators, but the tip of the spear really is the k-9 units."

The drug interdiction unit started in 1995 with just eight handlers.

Now, 21 years later, the team is 25 strong.

Not including their k-9 companions, of course.

Nats: dog and trainer when these dogs and cadets met 13 weeks ago, they were complete strangers, but with some long days and a lot of hard work, these teams are a force not to be reckoned with.

Mjr. scott bowman, chief of security "they're able to sniff out not only the organic drugs such as cocaine and marijuana and heroin, but also some of the synthetic drugs that we' )re seeing in our facilities now, such as k-2 which is a synthetic marijuana, suboxone.

We also have dogs that are able to sniff out cell phones."

Along with demonstrating these skills, they also unveiled their new kennel... built entirely by staff and inmates.

The facility is ready to go, and handlers and their dogs are ready to get to work.

Mjr. scott bowman, chief of security "there's a personality to each dog and there's a physicality to each dog and also, of course, the handlers.

...there has to be a personality match.

So it does take awhile to find the right combination and i think we were able to successfully do so with all of our handlers."

(lauren) as expected, there is an intense and competitive selection process for this job.

Only five handlers graduated today out of the original 167 corrections officers that interviewed for the positions.

Reporting live,