K9 Leo joins Pennsylvania Capitol Police’s K9 Unit [Video]

The 1-year-old, yellow and white Labrador Retriever passed his training and certification tests and will join the police department’s Explosives Detection Unit, along with his human partner, Cpl. Timothy Horst.

K9 Leo was born in Seattle and trained at Iron Rose K9 Inc., a facility located in Boiling Springs, Cumberland County.

“Capitol Police are undergoing a transition from the well-known German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois that have been the standard for the K9 unit, and are moving towards the use of Labrador Retrievers for explosives detection,” the police department said. “The transition provides the unit with greater opportunities for increased public engagement and socialization without any drop-off in the quality of the explosives detection work being performed.”

According to the police department, K9 Leo has quickly become a …