 "Photo: Katrina Perry")
At the front lines of UT's sometimes volatile crime scenes, two canines named Robby and Maatje trot, sniff for bombs and prepare to apprehend anyone who may pose a danger.
As recently as Monday, when a bomb threat was placed at the University Teaching Center, Robby was there, diligently smelling each and every classroom for one of 18 explosive odors he has been trained to seek. Robby, a 75-pound Belgian Malinois, found no bomb, and the building was eventually declared safe for classes to resume.
Officer Jason Taylor, Robby's partner, handler and caretaker, said Monday was busy for the two. They had to respond to the two major incidents of the day, the bomb threat and the body discovered on campus near San Jacinto and 24th streets. Robby and Maatje are a major asset to the department, Taylor said.
"The dogs are huge deterrents," Taylor said. "I've been in several calls that were going bad that as soon as Robby showed up, it changed the whole nature of the contact. The officers don't get hurt, and the people we're dealing with don't get injured. It's just a better outcome for everyone."
Because of the dogs' extensive training in tracking and apprehending suspects, Taylor said criminals will often give up with much less of a fuss, because they know they will not be able to outrun the dogs, nor would they be able to effectively hide from officers.
Robby, a five-year veteran of UTPD, and Maatje, who has been with the department for two years, are both Belgian Malinois. They were born in Holland, where a large portion of police dogs are bred. In Europe, dogs are bred for utilitarian purposes as opposed to aesthetics, and instead of being honored for appearance - as in dog shows - they compete in skills-related competitions, Taylor said.
Because of these breeding practices, purebred Belgian Malinois often can look very different from each other. Robby has a wiry fur coat, while Maatje's fur is matted and slick. Taylor said the appearances have little impact on the dogs' work.
"If the dog were pink with green polka-dots, but it was an outstanding dog, we'd still work them," he said. "We just happened to end up with two good-looking dogs."
From Holland they were transported to Somerset-based Global Training Academy, a company that trains and sells police and patrol dogs. There, the dogs go through 14 to 16 weeks of training before they meet their handlers, said Cindy Taylor, assistant director of the company. Then the dog and master go through another five weeks of training before they both graduate from the academy.
Global Training Academy selects its dogs by looking for dogs that are receptive to working for rewards, Cindy Taylor said.
The reward for Robby is a red, hard-rubber chew toy called a Kong.
The dogs' Dutch heritage showed as Officer Taylor spoke commands in the language. For instance, Taylor will say the word "blijven" when he wants Robby to stay or "plaats" to make the dog heel. Robby also responds to commands in English, but is more receptive to his native Dutch.
Officer Taylor said the dogs cost between $10,000 and $12,000, with bomb detection dogs being the most expensive.
The dogs' training seems to have stuck.
Earlier this year, the dogs were taken to be recertified by the National Narcotic Detector Dog Association. While there, the officers decided to enter Maatje and Robby in an optional skills competition against a field of about 50 other dog teams.
It was the first time either of the two had ever competed, but Maatje and Robby virtually swept the field, taking top honors in all categories in which they competed. Maatje won three awards in explosives detection, patrol and overall. Robby took home the gold in bomb detection.
"When they do great, it's just like your kid doing great," Officer Taylor said.
The pride Taylor feels for Robby is something that is very necessary for the job, Taylor said. The two must build up a mutual trust and bond between each other so they can be an effective duo. Robby and Taylor have both a great working and personal relationship, which helps since Robby goes home with Taylor after their shift is over.
"It's a good thing we like each other; otherwise we'd be miserable, because we're always together," he said. "It's kind of funny how the dog worked out. The dog seems to match my personality."
Maatje and Robby are not bred for Texas' hot climate, leading to a danger of the dogs overheating quickly. A simple mistake can sometimes lead to a patrol dog's death. Taylor keeps gallons of water, an ice chest and a jug of Gatorade in the back of Robby's police SUV to make sure Robby never gets too hot.
Robby's car is also equipped with something UTPD calls a "hot-dog unit," Taylor said. The car is kept continually running, but if it should break down and the air conditioner turn off, the car will automatically open the windows, start a fan, honk the horn and page Officer Taylor.
"That's his truck, and you know dogs are territorial," Taylor said as Robby barked at a nearby photographer through the window.
Also within the truck is a first-aid kit exclusively for Robby - a dog bulletproof vest, several leashes and a muzzle for training.
"I have very little first aid in here for me, but as I said, it's all about the dogs," Taylor said.
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