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Warren County Sheriff’s Office adds vapor wake firearm detection dog to schools Rocky, a 16-month-old Labrador, is trained to detect firearms and ammunition in crowds What This Story Is About - The Warren County Sheriff’s Office has introduced Rocky, a 16-month-old Labrador trained as a vapor wake-certified firearm detection dog, to Warren County Schools. Rocky is trained to detect firearms and ammunition odors in both static and moving crowds. Dean Clark, a school resource officer with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, said Rocky is believed to be the first dog of his kind working in a Kentucky school system. Why It Matters - The addition of a vapor wake detection dog represents an expansion of school security measures in Warren County. Clark described the program as a deterrent and an added layer of protection, comparing it to having a fire extinguisher on hand in case of an emergency. What Happens Next - Rocky has just begun his service and will continue training multiple times a day in different environments. For Context - Vapor wake detection is a specialized canine training method, developed in partnership with organizations such as Auburn University’s Canine Performance Sciences program, that enables dogs to track human scent trails carrying volatile organic compounds associated with explosives or firearms through moving crowds, rather than only searching static objects. This method has been used by transit authorities, stadiums, and airports nationwide. Labradors are commonly selected for detection work due to their scenting ability and temperament. BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) - Children across Warren County are seeing a new face in law enforcement this year. His name is Rocky, a vapor wake-certified firearm detection dog trained to detect odors associated with firearms and ammunition. Rocky is a 16-month-old Labrador who has just begun his service with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. Rocky trains multiple times a day in different environments, searching people, vehicles, and objects for anything that could pose a potential threat. “He can find static objects, but he’s also trained to search dynamic targets, moving targets in a crowd of people, and that’s so very different. There aren’t a lot of dogs that can do that,” said Dean Clark, school resource officer with the Warren County Sheriff’s Office. Specialized training tracks scent in crowds That ability comes from specialized vapor wake training supplied by Auburn University and Global Canine, where Rocky’s sense of smell is put to work as he follows the scent of a suspicious item. “For us it would be if people are moving through a crowd and they have colored streamers behind them. It would be very easy for us to follow the green streamer, the blue streamer. That’s basically what he sees with his nose. He is able to smell and pick up that vapor wake, and then he’s able to track it to the source of the odor,” Clark said. Clark said Rocky is the first vapor wake dog of his kind known to be working in the Kentucky school system. He is expected to be both a friendly face and an extra form of security for Warren County Schools moving forward. “We kind of view this canine program as kind of your fire extinguishers in school. You hope there’s never a fire. You hope that you never have to, to, to use that. But if you do, you need it there. And that’s what we anticipate with Rocky is that he is going to, to, to be in the school system, hopefully a deterrent factor and just an added layer of security for our kids,” Clark said. Clark said vapor wake dogs are used across the country, providing a service for the communities they serve. Labradors are primarily used for the role due to their keen sense of smell and friendly demeanor. Copyright 2026 WBKO. All rights reserved.