A K9 security company has found more than 25 guns and helped with about 1,500 drug seizures at schools in the DFW area since August 2023.
Rockwall-based H1 K9 Consultants‘ dog handlers have been visiting the campuses of around 100 school districts with their dogs that can detect narcotics and explosives.
“Every time we remove a gun from a school, it's a satisfying feeling that we did something important that day,” said Josh Ellis, owner of H1 K9 Consultants, to NBC 5 DFW. “Maybe we saved a life that day.” told Across Texas, school safety has been a major concern since the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde in May 2022. Despite increased security measures such as the presence of an armed peace officer at each public school and initiatives like security checks at school entrances, incidents have continued to occur.
For example, in April, a student was shot in the leg at Dallas ISD’s Wilmer-Hutchins High School, followed by a fatal shooting at Arlington ISD’s Bowie High School that same month, as The Dallas Express reported. Both instances were attributed to lax security procedures by the districts. AI scanners At Garland ISD, dogs trained to detect drugs conduct daily searches of campuses, and students are asked to leave their backpacks in the classroom during these inspections.
“A student can't focus on learning when they're worried about safety — that's our motto,” said Mark Quinn, Garland ISD’s director of security, according to NBC 5. “So we decided to implement the K9 program. It's just another resource for us.” shooting Drugs are also a threat to students, especially with fentanyl overdoses reaching epidemic levels across the state. covered by “Our main concerns are fentanyl and firearms,” said Ellis. “These are the biggest issues as a K9 handler.”Although overall drug use in this demographic has decreased, there has been an increase in youth overdoses in recent years. Fentanyl, a highly potent yet affordable synthetic opioid, is often mixed into fake pills designed to look like popular prescription medications such as Percocet and Xanax, leading to users unknowingly consuming it until it's too late.
A K9 security company has found more than 25 guns and helped with about 1,500 drug seizures at schools in the DFW area since August 2023. Rockwall-based H1 K9 Consultants‘ dog handlers have been visiting the campuses of around 100 school districts with their dogs that can detect narcotics and explosives. “Every time we remove a gun from a school, it's a satisfying feeling that we did something important that day,” said Josh Ellis, owner of H1 K9 Consultants, to NBC 5 DFW. “Maybe we saved a life that day.”
“A kid can’t learn when they’re looking over their shoulder — that’s our motto,” said Mark Quinn, Garland ISD’s director of security, per NBC 5. “So we wanted to add the K9 program. It’s just another tool in our toolbox.”
Drugs present another threat to students’ well-being, especially with fentanyl overdoses reaching epidemic levels across the state.
“Our biggest fears are fentanyl and firearms,” Ellis told NBC 5. “Those are the two biggest things, even as a handler.”
Youth overdoses have reached alarming heights these past few years despite overall drug use among the demographic declining. Fentanyl, which is a highly potent yet cheap synthetic opioid, is often mixed into fake pills made to resemble popular prescription medications like Percocet and Xanax, meaning a user may not be aware they are taking it until it is too late.
