Sept. 24, 2025

Read this letter in the eight most-spoken languages in DPS.

Dear DPS Community,

Ensuring the safety of our students, staff and schools is our highest priority. To further strengthen these efforts, the Department of Climate and Safety is launching a Canine Weapon Detection Program at select DPS school sports events this semester. 

This initiative reflects our ongoing commitment to creating safe and welcoming school environments. 

About the Pilot Program 

• Purpose: Safety means more than preventing harm – it’s about creating an environment where students and staff feel supported, comfortable, and able to thrive. The addition of canine teams at school events is designed to provide an extra layer of reassurance, helping our community focus on learning, connection, and school spirit. 
  
  These specially trained canines also serve as a proactive measure to help deter the presence of firearms and support early detection, further strengthening our ability to maintain safe and welcoming environments for everyone. 
  
  Please note that these canines are only trained to detect firearms. They are not trained to detect illegal substances. 

• Deployment: The pilot will focus on school sports events, where large crowds and gatherings naturally occur. 

• Next Steps: Following this pilot phase, we will assess outcomes and explore allocating canines to a number of DPS schools as part of our Long-Term Safety Plan. 

Our Commitment

We are committed to ensuring that the presence of canine teams and other safety measures throughout the District are both supportive and unobtrusive, prioritizing safety without disrupting the positive spirit of school athletics and activities. 

This program will also seek input from families, staff and community members about our overall safety protocols. Throughout our events, we will have QR codes to allow you, our community, the ability to complete a short survey and provide feedback. Please consider completing the survey. 

Thank you for your partnership as we continue to expand layered safety measures that keep our schools secure and supportive for every student. 

For more details, reach out to your school leadership team directly.

Sincerely, 

Greg Cazzell
Chief of Climate and Safety 

dpsk12.org