色情宝贝

Dog Detection Spotlight: Kyle and Maverick

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They call Greensboro, North Carolina, Tournament Town based on the city鈥檚 storied legacy of hosting championship sporting games. It鈥檚 more than fitting for a top-tier champion canine to be hard at work every day in this bustling hub. His name is Maverick II. According to his devoted handler, Kyle Papp, this five-year-old black Labrador has winning explosive odor-tracking skills that reign supreme.

 

picture of an officer with canine

As part of 色情宝贝庐 Enhanced Protection Services鈥 fleet of detection canine teams, Kyle and Maverick are trained and certified to screen cargo under the U.S. Transportation Security Administration鈥檚 (TSA) Third-Party Canine (3PK9)  Program. The pair work on behalf of an international freight shipper, ensuring every package鈥攚hether pallets, Unit Loading Devices (ULDs) or loose freight鈥攊s thoroughly screened for explosives. Properly trained canines like Maverick can  search cargo up to 10 times faster than conventional methods such as X-rays or trace detection, making them the most effective screening tool available.

 

Kyle and Maverick have been working together for more than two years. They completed their intensive training in Memphis, Tenn., at one of the company鈥檚 many regional training centers. Image of a canineMaverick  mastered the ability to detect all five families of explosives, whether commercial, military or homemade. It was there that trainers quickly tapped into Maverick鈥檚 strong love for tennis balls. Play  reward is most often preferred by breeds like German Shepherds and Malinois, while Labradors enjoy food reward. 鈥淒on鈥檛 get me wrong鈥擬averick loves to eat,鈥 Kyle says with a laugh, 鈥渂ut the tennis  ball? That鈥檚 the ultimate for him. The second we get in the car, he knows we鈥檙e headed to work, and he gets excited because he knows that tennis ball is coming.鈥

 

Kyle鈥檚 background in both military and law enforcement paved the way for his work as a handler, although he admits the shift in career focus came as a surprise to him. 鈥淭his wasn鈥檛 on my radar, but after just a few days training with Maverick, I called my wife and let her know that I found my dream job.鈥

 

After graduating high school, Kyle enlisted in the U.S. Army National Guard, following the path of his great-grandfather, who served in World War II, and his grandfather, a Vietnam War veteran. 鈥淚鈥檝e  always felt a deep connection to service and a responsibility to give back to both my community and my country,鈥 Kyle shares. 鈥淲hat drew me in then鈥攁nd what continues to motivate me now鈥攊s the  sense of purpose that comes from working toward a shared mission. The camaraderie, teamwork and aligned mindset are incredibly fulfilling.鈥

 

canine

 

After transferring to the North Carolina National Guard, Kyle reclassified as a combat engineer, where he specialized in clearing barriers with explosives, identifying and  mitigating hazards, and providing critical engineering solutions to support combat operations. After eight years of service, he transitioned into law enforcement with time at the sheriff鈥檚 office, the Greensboro Police  Department and the U.S. Secret Service.

Like every one of the company鈥檚 detection canine teams around the world, this bomb dog lives at home with his handler, which strengthens their connection on and off the job. At the Papp household, Maverick鈥檚  biggest fans are Kyle鈥檚 11-month-old twin boys, who adore their four-legged furry sibling. The family loves to get outdoors on the weekends and in the summer, you can find them unwinding at the lake鈥擬averick鈥檚  favorite spot. 鈥淗e wasn鈥檛 a water dog at first,鈥 Kyle laughs, 鈥渂ut he got used to it pretty quickly and now he鈥檚 the first one off the boat to cool off, always wearing his life vest鈥攚e鈥檙e trained in safety first.鈥