On March 18, 2015 Colonia High School welcomed retired Officer Shawn Meade and his K-9 partner, Lucky, to teach forensic students about their experiences together in law enforcement.
Officer Meade and his nine and a half year old pure-bred German Shepard worked together on the Edison Police Department to investigate potential bomb threats, comb crime scenes for weapons, assist in search parties, and obtain fleeing criminals. After both retiring from the force in 2013, Meade was fortunate enough to adopt Lucky, who currently resides with him and his family in their home.
Bred in Slovakia, Lucky was one of the many German Shepard puppies born into the law enforcement field. From a young age, they were trained with high discipline and outstanding obedience. Amongst his littermates, Lucky’s dominant, ‘alpha dog,’ personality and leadership qualities allowed him to join the Edison P.D. as a bomb detecting canine.
Upon his arrival to the police department, Lucky and three other K-9’s were put through intense training before they were allowed to begin working. After abundant training on water, land, air, on planes and on boats, the dogs were set to begin their first days on the force.
Lucky, retired police dog, relaxes on the floor while Officer Meade speaks to students.
Together, Officer Meade and Lucky patrolled the streets. Being trained specifically in bomb detection, Lucky acted as a crucial addition to the Edison Police Department. With any report of potential bomb threats, Lucky and Officer Meade reported to duty. Searching school hallways and lockers or scanning a crime scene for weapons, Lucky can smell it all. Officer Meade places immense trust in Lucky’s ability to find any scent, “Touch it once and Lucky can find it.”
Lucky, unlike other patrol dogs, was trained to use passive indicators when encountering a scent of interest. Through the use of an aggressive indicator, a K-9 will alert their partner by scratching, biting, chewing, or barking at the source. But due to the dangerous nature of Lucky’s job, he was trained to not touch the source as potential explosives may detonate upon contact. When approaching gun powder residue or a weapon of sort, Lucky signals the suspicious smell to Officer Meade by sitting or lying near the source, but never touching it.
Through their presentation to CHS Forensics students, Lucky and Officer Meade demonstrated a simulated search. Meade hid two canisters of differing gun powders near the stage in the auditorium, and then gave Lucky the cue to find them. Remarkably, he discovered them within seconds and was rewarded with a toy to chew on.
Searching and smelling comes easy to dogs, especially dogs like Lucky, “He knows what to do without me telling him,” Officer Meade explains. It is clear that Lucky enjoys his job, and even though both retired, Officer Meade and Lucky were more than willing to speak to the school about their time on the force together. With much gratitude, Ms. Greene and her forensics classes took a lot away from Lucky and Officer Meade’s presentation. But, the work of a policeman and his police dog are never done, as the two still enjoy teaching and sharing their experiences with others.
