The UVA Police K9 team comprises several handlers and their K9 officers who handle various tasks, including explosive detection, bloodhound maintrailing suspected missing/runaway individuals and fleeing suspects, and therapy support. The K9 team is responsible for conducting proactive explosive detection sweeps of facilities and areas prior to large events at UVA. The team is also on call to investigate suspicious items for explosives detection. Learn more about our K9 officers below!
- K9 Nahla is an 8 ½ year old German Shepherd born in the Netherlands.
- She has been with the UVA Police Department since January 2019 as an explosive detection K9.
- Nahla she enjoys coming to work and playing with her Kong.
- K9 Winter is a 3 ½ year-old Labrador retriever born and trained in Jackson Springs, N.C.
- She has been with the UVA Police Department since July 2023.
- K9 Winter as she loves meeting people and playing with her Kong.
K-9 Maggie is a scent specific Bloodhound, who was born in Leitchfield, Kentucky on Oct. 23, 2022. Her role within the UVA Police Department is to assist in the location of missing and runaway individuals, along with the trailing of fleeing suspects. K-9 Maggie’s favorite activity is training exercises where she gets a nice treat and “rough housed” with a successful find. Additionally, she enjoys swimming and taking walks around campus
Lily is a two-year-old Labrador retriever who was trained and provided to UVA Police by Service Dogs of Virginia. She has been with the UVA Police Department since April 2025 and is serving as a Facility K9 for the medical center and the University. In her off time, Lily enjoys playing fetch with friends and swimming.
- K9 Luna is a Black Lab born on 04/25/2021 in Jackson Springs, NC.
- She has been with UPD since July 2023 and is a certified Explosive Ordinance Detection K9.
- Her favorite activity is working! When she is successful at her job, she gets to play with her favorite Kong toy.
- In her off time, she enjoys chewing on her deer antlers, and playing in her kiddie pool!
Cooper is a 7 year old Miniature American Shepherd and is certified as a therapy dog. He is owned by and lives with Sgt. Ben Rexrode with UPD. Sgt. Rexrode got Cooper when he was about 9 months old and began his training towards therapy dog certification soon after. In addition to lending his time to the UVA community, he also often goes to work with Sgt. Rexrode’s wife who is a High School Counselor. Cooper has a very calm demeanor and loves attention and belly rubs which makes him the ideal dog for stress relief and making someone smile.