This news item expired on Monday, January 5, 2015 so the information below could be outdated or incorrect.
The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office recently introduced their newest canine deputy, Sampson, who has been trained in person-borne weapons and explosive detection.
Sampson is the first canine trained in person-borne weapon detection in the entire country, and will be the first canine trained in this manner used in a school setting.
When deployed, Sampson scans the air around persons – stationary or moving – and will indicate with a positive alert by trailing a moving person or by sitting at the source of odor. Sampson has been trained to detect burnt powder, fresh powder and cleaning agents when looking for weapons.
Sampson’s primary function will be to visit school grounds to deter and or detect any person who is illegally in possession of a weapon or explosive device. He will scan during school hours and be utilized at sporting events and other large functions. The overall goal of Sampson’s presence is to support our school resource officers as they keep our schools safe.