He's survived attacks in a war zone, an explosion that nearly blinded him, and he's helped keep U.S. Marines out of harm's way. And at 5 years old, he's just getting started.
He's a black Labrador named Slick, the newest K9 on the force at the Prince George's County Police Department. Officers introduced Slick to the media Tuesday, explaining a bit about the dog's military past and how he'll be helping the county in the future.
"We were able to get a little bit of his medical records, but much of it was classified," Cpl. Scott Allen told reporters as Slick sat dutifully at his side. Slick served two six-month tours in Afghanistan as an explosives-detection dog for the U.S. Marine Corps.
Though limited, details on Slick's work paint a picture of a heroic dog who "saved uncountable military personnel" by sniffing out improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan, according to police.
"He was attacked by some feral dogs," Allen said. "During another deployment, he had an IED that went off very close to his proximity, and [it] did some damage to his eye. None of it was permanent. He's okay. He sees great today, so he's doing very well."
Slick's bomb-detecting work will continue with the PGPD, and he'll also be trained to sniff out gun residue to help police recover weapons.
Slick showed off of some of his current moves Tuesday, roaming around a room at police headquarters to sniff everything from pant legs to the floor baseboards. And if Slick ever slows down, that might be a sign of potential trouble -- he is trained to lay down if he detects explosives.
Fortunately for Slick and others who like friendly dogs, his beat won't be limited to crime scenes. Look for Slick around the county at sporting events, schools and possibly in the company of world leaders.
"He's a very social dog, so it's nice in terms of searches where we'll use him at FedEx field or any kind of detail for the president," Allen said. "He gets along with just about everybody."
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Ex-Marine Dog Joins Prince George's K9
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