DPS NEWS

Operation Canyon Thunder

UHP Explosive Detection K9s Train with Utah Bomb Squad Task Force

Troopers Colvin and Elmer and their K9 partners Arros and Rocco recently participated in the Utah Bomb Squad Task Force’s Operation Canyon Thunder, one of two annual training sessions the task force hosts.

The training brings together all eight bomb squads in Utah, the ATF, FBI and explosive detection K9s from around the state and was held at the Utah County Sheriff’s Office shooting range in Thistle.

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For one part of the training, the K9s participated in detection exercises for substances including peroxide and TATP.

Three of the hides were buried on one of the shooting ranges and another large hide was in a nearby vehicle. 

K9s Arros and Rocco searched both scenes and located all of the hides.

A key portion of the training featured the integration of explosive detection K9s into bomb squad scenarios. 

The goal of this aspect of the training is to teach bomb squads about K9s and how they are an asset that can support their operations and to help K9 handlers understand what bomb squads do.

In one scenario, the bomb squad is called in for a suspicious package.

During a perimeter sweep while checking for secondary devices, the K9’s indication leads to the discovery of an explosive device on the suspect’s vehicle. 

The bomb squad then sets up a package disruption.

In the second scenario, a threat is called into a school, so students have been told to leave all of their bags and evacuate. A K9 is deployed to detect for explosive odors on the bags and subsequently locates an explosive odor in one of the bags.  

The bomb squad then sends in a robot to disrupt the package.

Operation Canyon Thunder provides a great opportunity for our explosive detection K9 teams to train and network with bomb squads and other explosive detection K9 units. We are grateful to the Utah Bomb Squad Task Force for planning and hosting this training as we all work toward the goal of keeping Utah safe.