SALT LAKE CITY — There’s a new furry friend on duty at the Utah State Capitol.
Ralph is the new Utah Highway Patrol explosive detection K-9. He and his partner, Trooper Todd Gillis, will be the 5th certified team of their kind keeping people safe at the Capitol.
"He is a two-and-a-half-year-old yellow lab from Hungary,” said Gillis. They got Ralph about two months ago.
Utah Highway Patrol handles security at the Capitol, which gets pretty busy during the legislative session.
"We increase our security presence up here about fourfold, and so throughout the session, we'll have troopers that are assigned to the Capitol and we'll have troopers that come in from all four corners of the state to help supplement that," said UHP Lt. Ryan Van Fleet.
k-9s like Ralph become like family, but they also have a big role to play in public safety.
"They are super valuable to us,” said Gillis. “These dogs are able to smell things that we can’t smell. Our dogs are, through POST, are trained within at least a minimum of 30 explosive odors. And any combination with that and also to find recently fired guns and ammunition as well.”
Now if you see Ralph or any of the K-9s the next time you are at the Capitol, you can't pet or play with them. But, their sweet faces do make every space they are in a little happier.
"We use them for things that I wouldn't have even thought,” said Van Fleet. “And one of the most important things that they do is just help people feel comfortable and safe here, while they're performing their functions or visiting the Capitol."
