After weeks of extensive training, three members of UAPD will graduate today and start serving the community. They'll play an important role in explosives and narcotics detection. They'll also assist with patrols.

But what really makes these graduates stand out from other officers is their four legs and fur.

Two black Labrador retrievers, named Michael and Shadow, along with a German shepherd named Dag, received honors with their handlers today at a ceremony at UAPD.

Officer Kyle Morrison and his partner Michael received 10 weeks of training through the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in order for Michael to become a certified explosives-detection canine.

Morrison, who trained in Front Royal, Va., said the worst part of training was living in a hotel and being away from his family, but said he was glad he got to work with a knowledgeable staff.

Michael will now be able to detect more than 19,000 different types of explosives through scent recognition, Morrison said.

Morrison said labs are specifically chosen to be explosives-detection canines because of their mild nature and their ability to remain calm around explosives.

Morrison said he would mainly patrol large venues on campus, such as basketball games.

Officer Dennis Maciborski, who went through eight weeks of training with the Department of Corrections to get Shadow certified as a narcotics detection canine, said labs are good around people, while German shepherds usually have to be kept in a kennel and away from people when they're not working.

Cpl. Wade Boltinghouse, who trained with Dag to get him certified as a patrol and handler protection canine, was not available to talk yesterday because he was still going through certification.

Maciborski said even though labs are generally calm, there is still a possibility of them being violent.

"You have to remember they are dogs and they are capable of biting," he said.

Maciborski said he and Shadow would also mainly be working at large venues around campus.

Maciborski said he was impressed with the extensive training he received.

"It was a lot of scenario-based training and learning about how the dogs work," he said.

Maciborski and Morrison said they would train together with the dogs and set up training aids for each other.

Morrison said Michael is trained through a foods reward program.

"He never eats out of a bowl. We train every day, and that's how he gets fed," he said.

Both labs will have to go through yearly certification, and Maciborski said the dogs are basically trained every day.

"It's important to make sure the dog's not alerting on the wrong thing. It's a continual process of training and figuring out what they are smelling," he said.

Morrison said when Michael is 9 years old, he will need a medical evaluation to see if he's still capable of working.

"They'll work as long as they're medically fit to work," Maciborski said. "The vet has the final say."