UTC Police Adds New K9 to Campus Force

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Police Department has introduced Lucky, a six-month-old Labrador Retriever.

Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Dogs

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Police Department has added a six-month-old black Labrador Retriever named Lucky to its ranks. Lucky will serve the campus community as a therapy dog while undergoing training for explosive ordnance detection.

Why it matters

The department added the K9 to better address the needs of the campus community, continuing an initiative that began with the arrival of its first dog, Sophie, one year ago.

Lucky is a six-month-old black Labrador Retriever born in Cumming, Georgia. He is the second working dog to join the department, following K9 Sophie who arrived one year prior.

The players

University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Police Department

This is the primary law enforcement agency responsible for the safety and security of the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga campus.

Lucky

Lucky is a six-month-old black Labrador Retriever tasked with therapy duties and explosive ordnance detection.

Aaron Bayer

Aaron Bayer serves as the handler for the department's newest K9 recruit, Lucky.

Warrior Paws

Warrior Paws is a nonprofit organization that provides specialized training for working dogs.

Sophie

K9 Sophie is the first working dog to serve at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Police Department.

The details

Trained by the nonprofit Warrior Paws, Lucky is paired with handler Aaron Bayer to assist students and provide security. The department intends to sustain this program by securing replacements for dogs as they reach retirement.

October 15, 2026: Lucky officially began his work duties.

Culture Shift

The expansion of the department's K9 unit mirrors a nationwide push by universities to modernize campus safety through animal-assisted intervention. This shift marks a departure from traditional patrol-only models toward community-oriented security strategies.

Students can expect to encounter Lucky during his therapy shifts on campus as part of the department's commitment to the university community. The presence of these dogs provides a new resource for both campus security and student engagement efforts.

The takeaway

Adding working dogs to campus police departments provides a versatile resource for both security and student support services. Universities can implement similar programs by partnering with nonprofit organizations to ensure dogs receive professional training before deployment.