Anderson University’s Police Department has a new recruit, Kimber the Doberman. She is currently serving the department as a contact dog, and has been welcomed with open arms into the department. Contact dog’s serve to provide a friendly and approachable face to those in stress, a job Kimber excels in. This, alongside many other recent and upcoming changes to the AU Police Department, show that the campus security is evolving and changing more and more every day.
Chief of Police Shawn Richwine’s personal dog Kimber started at the beginning of the current semester, and has already carried out her job of bringing smiles to the Anderson campus community exceptionally well.
“She serves to increase approachability for campus police, to provide opportunities for increased contact between students, faculty and staff with the department in addition to her ability to help calm victims of crimes,” Richwine said.
Contact dogs can be a tremendous asset to any police force, bringing a friendly and approachable face into the department, which is a job Kimber has excelled at.
“The smiles I see with people who interact with her really prove she is a tremendous asset in this regard,” Richwine stated.
Going forward, it is planned for Kimber to stay with the AUPD, but in her off time, Chief Shawn Richwine hopes that she can soon attend explosive detection school, a job that Kimber already shows promise in.
“I have always been interested in an explosives detection dog and think that would serve the university and community well,” Richwine explained. “It happened that her personality from my assessment is perfect for that role, as she is very smart and driven, but not hyper and reactive. [These are] traits you want in an explosive detection canine.”
If Kimber’s training goes well, she will become one of very few active explosive detection dogs in Madison County, meaning she will serve the greater area remarkably well.
Kimber is just one of many changes that has been made in recent months to the AU Police Department. The increased size in the form of reserve officers, new equipment and new training for officers have all been very positive changes, as well as further cooperation with the Anderson City Police Department, Richwine indicated. In the coming months, the transition back to 24 hour coverage is very exciting for the department, bringing further security to Anderson’s campus.
“Since I took over in June, focus has been on restructuring and training personnel. Now the focus has shifted to increasing our capabilities and service we provide to the university and surrounding community,” Richwine stated.
To stay updated on AU’s Police Department, make sure to follow the AUPD’s Facebook page, as well as Kimber’s personal Instagram, where you can see what the new recruit is up to on AU’s campus.