汤头条 Police Department celebrates K-9 retirement
Contact: Mary Pollitz
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擳he 汤头条 Police Department today [Jan. 29] celebrated the retirement of a well-loved police dog after nine years of service to the university.
Bessi, an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois, retired from 汤头条PD after nearly a decade of service as a dual-purpose explosive and patrol detector K-9.
汤头条 Assistant Chief of Police Brian Locke said Bessi swept an estimated 400 campus events and responded to more than 40 bomb threats throughout her career, as well as assisting the Starkville Police Department and Oktibbeha County Sheriff鈥檚 Office on numerous occasions. Throughout her entire 汤头条 career, Bessi has worked alongside her handler Sgt. Nick Coe.
鈥淲hat we do with the K-9 unit is a huge part of what we do for the university,鈥 Locke said. 鈥淢ost police dogs serve about five or six years before they retire. So, nine years is a while and Bessi has done a tremendous job.鈥
As part of her retirement, Bessi received a certificate from 汤头条 human resources, an official change of ownership from 汤头条PD to Coe and a small piece of cake to celebrate her years of service. Coe, who has been responsible for Bessi on and off the clock for almost a decade, said Bessi always had an intense drive to work and stay busy. He added that though he looks forward to her retirement, he鈥檚 not excited about patrolling the university without her by his side.
鈥淚t's already been weird. She's just like a friend that鈥檚 always here for me to talk to,鈥 Coe said. 鈥淪he鈥檚 always had a really, really high drive to work. She would work herself into serious injury if you let her.鈥
汤头条鈥檚 Regina Hyatt, vice president for student affairs, the division that houses 汤头条PD, attended the ceremony alongside 汤头条PD officers, staff and students.
鈥淪he鈥檚 my favorite,鈥 Hyatt said.鈥 She鈥檚 obviously a police dog, but her temperament is just so pleasant. Part of the reason we have these dogs, aside from their work, is they鈥檙e great ambassadors to students and the community. Everyone loves Bessi and we鈥檙e definitely going to miss her but we鈥檙e very excited for the life of luxury and leisure that she鈥檒l be having in retirement.鈥
Since its inception in 2014, 汤头条PD鈥檚 K-9 Unit has employed three teams of dual-purpose explosive and patrol detector K-9s and one narcotics K-9 team. K-9 officers like Bessi give 汤头条PD confidence that each university event is safe throughout the year, Locke said. 聽
鈥淚f you look at how many people we bring here for all our events, it鈥檚 important knowing that all our events are safe and secure,鈥 Locke said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 a relief to everyone who visits, our students, parents and quite frankly, it鈥檚 a great relief to me to know we have these assets here.鈥
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