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PAWS ON NCCU PATROL S THE SUN PREPARES to set over the North Carolina Central University (NCCU) campus, Officer Kerry Thompson and his new K-9 partner, an explosive-detection Black Labrador named Gigi, embark on their nightly routine, ensuring the safety and security of the Eagle community. Thompson and Gigi are the second set of partners to join the campus police department’s K-9 unit, which also includes Officer Shelton-Lee Harris and his narcotics-detection partner Shiba. Thompson’s path to becoming a K-9 handler was driven by a strong desire for innovation within his law enforcement career. Conversations with NCCU Police Chief Damon Williams and a keen awareness of the need for an explosive-detection canine at NCCU following the series of bomb threats at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in early 2022 also sparked his interest. NCCU was one of 57 HBCUs that received a threat in January and February of that year. “We worked closely with the University of North Carolina System to lobby the North Carolina General Assembly to fund NCCU’s explosive-detection canine,” said Williams. “The $20,000 program was approved in August 2022.” Law enforcement agencies nationwide use around 15,000 dogs, as reported by the U.S. Police Canine Association. The majority (80%-90%) of these working dogs are sourced from Europe. Presently, a shortage of bomb-sniffing canines is clear 14 I NCCU NOW I SPRING 2024
Officer Kerry Thompson and partner Gigi protecting the NCCU campus, one paw at a time.
across the country due to increased demand and a diminished supply, a consequence of the ongoing effects of COVID-19. Gigi is one of only two bomb-sniffing dogs in Durham County. The process to become a handler was lengthy for Thompson, with three to five years of patrol duty needed
to apply. He also had to write an essay on why he would be a good fit for the program and a home visit was conducted to ensure he had proper space for his canine partner. “I was excited, Thompson said, when I found out that I had been accepted to the program but anxious at the same time.” The first encounter between Thompson and Gigi was marked by mutual nervousness at the six-week International Police Work Dog Association certification training in Jackson Springs, North Carolina, in the spring of 2023. “In the beginning, she wouldn't eat from me at all. I also had a travel kennel in the hotel room, and she just wouldn't stay in it. I would let her out, and 30 minutes into me falling asleep every night, she just hopped into bed and began sleeping next to me. When that started, I knew we were attached.” (continues on page 16)
We worked closely with the University of North Carolina System to lobby the North Carolina General Assembly to fund NCCU’s explosive-detection canine. The $20,000 program was approved in August 2022.” — Damon Williams, NCCU Police Chief