Two Purdue Police K-9s officially retire; handlers recognized at special ceremony
Lt. Austin Argerbright and Lt. Kevin Balzer recently received letters of recognition from President Mung Chiang, thanking them for serving as K-9 handlers.
Two K-9s with the Purdue University Police Department (PUPD) have officially retired after years of service. Their handlers were recently recognized for their hard work and dedication at a special ceremony hosted by the department.
K-9 Senna and Lt. Kevin Balzer: K-9 Senna and Lt. Kevin Balzer have been working together since October 2016. Senna is a dual-purpose narcotic detection and patrol canine with more than 200 deployments. Senna officially retired in March.
K-9 Ayko and Lt. Austin Argerbright: K-9 Ayko and Lt. Austin Argerbright started together in May of 2018. Ayko is a dual-purpose explosive detection and patrol canine. Ayko has had 996 deployments with 110 patrol deployments. He has worked several large events throughout his career, including athletic events, commencements and guest speakers visiting campus. Ayko officially retired in June.
“We have been incredibly fortunate to be able to do what we love for the past several years,” said Lt. Argerbright. “From funding to training opportunities, the support from campus leaders, partners and community members makes it all possible.”
As Senna and Ayko settle into retirement, a new K-9, Yaman, has completed six weeks of training and is officially patrolling for PUPD. K-9 Yaman is a 1.5-year-old Belgian Malinois from Vohne Liche Kennels. He joins the department as a dual-purpose explosive detection and patrol canine. Officer Nate Foster is his handler.
PUPD is part of the Administrative Operations organization. The organization provides safe, reliable and transformative services. Supporting such an invaluable asset such as a police K-9 to serve the campus community is just one of the many ways the organization helps power Purdue. To learn more about the daily operations of the organization, follow us on Instagram at @purdueoperations and Facebook at Purdue Administrative Operations. To keep up with PUPD, follow @Purdue_Police on X.
