Meet Wolverine: USU Police Department Welcomes Newest K-9 Officer

The Utah State University Police Department's K-9 team is growing with the addition of its newest member, Wolverine. Wolverine joins USU PD's current dogs, Sage and Zoomer, in keeping the campus community and all the Cache Valley safe.

Wolverine isn't your average pup. He was donated to USU through a federal program as a certified explosives-detection dog. Before arriving in Logan, Wolverine served overseas in support of the United States government. Adding Wolverine to the mix gives the university and community at large a second K-9 with expertisein explosives-detection, along with Zoomer.

The work of these K-9 units goes beyond USU's Logan campus, providing support to law enforcement agencies across Cache County.

Wolverine is partnered with Detective Mitch Blackham, who has spent years working with detector dogs both in the U.S. and abroad. This past November, the duo officially cleared their certifications through VLK and American Working Dog, meaning they are ready for duty.

"Wolverine has recently transitioned from serving overseas to protecting our Aggie community," said Detective Mitch Blackham. "Highly disciplined and focused, Wolverine's calm demeanor and sharp training make him a trusted asset in maintaining a secure campus environment, and we couldn't be prouder to have him on patrol."

K-9 Sage is USUPD's certified crisis response and community outreach K-9. Sage plays a vital role in supporting student wellness, crisis response, and relationship-building across campus. Her calm and friendly presence helps ease stress, provides comfort during difficult moments, and promotes the department's approachable and service-minded culture.

K-9 Zoomer is USUPD's certified explosives detection K-9, partnered with Lieutenant Scott Murray. Zoomer is trained to detect a wide range of explosive material and supports the safety of the university through proactive security sweeps, threat response, and presence at large-scale campus events.

With three dogs on the force, it's important for the community to know how to interact with each. Because Wolverine and Zoomer have high-stakes jobs involving explosives detection, they are working dogs only; please give them space and do not try petting them. However, if you see Sage around campus, she's the exception. Sage is always excited for a hand on her head and is more than happy to shake paws with anyone she meets.