How this 18-month-old dog protects Coweta County

Coweta County gets bomb detection dog

A new bomb detection dog has joined the ranks of the Coweta County Sheriff's Office to help make the community safer. 

COWETA COUNTY, Ga. - The Coweta County Sheriff’s Office is introducing a new bomb detection K9 to its ranks to help secure schools and public gatherings.

What we know:

Sali is an 18-month-old German Shorthaired Pointer from Greece who is highly trained in explosives and firearm detection. Sgt. Mark Storey, who runs the sheriff’s K9 unit, said the dog will help deputies find evidence left behind by suspects.

"A lot of times what you'll have is you may have a firearm discarded after a crime. You know, after a foot pursuit or something... and we need that for evidence," Storey said.

Big picture view:

Explosives detection dogs are in short supply in south metro Atlanta, according to the sheriff's office. While the city of Atlanta and Fulton County have several, Coweta County officials wanted their own resources.

"We looked at getting a bomb dog for this area. We have access from Fulton County and some other places, but it's best to have one here ready for us when we need it," Sheriff Lenn Wood told FOX 5.

Why you should care:

The new K9 will be tasked with clearing schools after bomb threats to ensure buildings are safe for students to return. Just last week, a metro Atlanta high school was forced to evacuate due to a threat.

Wood said Sali will also provide security sweeps at county commission meetings, VIP visits, and large gatherings to make sure nothing dangerous is hidden.

The information in this story was gathered from the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, who spoke with FOX 5, as well as interviews with Sheriff Lenn Wood and Sgt. Mark Storey.

Sheriff Wood says the cost of purchasing Sali was covered by donations and community support.