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Meet Golden Tobi Jo
SFSU's Bomb-Sniffing Dog Keeps Campus Community Safe
Only explosives detection dog in 23-campus CSU system is often called on
for help across state
By Christina Holmes, San Francisco State University, October 25, 2001
San Francisco State University's best
defense in keeping the campus safe from bombs and suspicious packages comes
through a feisty, four-legged friend. Tobi Jo, a 7-year-old golden
retriever and member of SFSU's Department of Public Safety, has been putting his
sensitive nose to the test, sniffing out the thousands of letters and packages
that arrive at the University each day. His well-trained and powerful nose picks
up scent molecules in the air from up to a mile away. Since Sept. 11
he's made daily sweeps of the mailroom, sniffing hefty boxes filled with
letters, advertisements, bills and other mail for faculty members,
administrators, staff and students. In addition to his mail scanning duties, he
checks any suspicious objects on campus. Under Tobi's steady work, no
suspicious packages, letters or objects have been found. Tobi's
trainer, handler and partner is Cpl. Todd Iriyama, a six-year veteran of the
department. When Tobi arrived on campus in 1997, Iriyama went through extensive
training with the dog in Napa County. During the intense six-week course,
Iriyama taught Tobi how to respond to commands and search for such explosives as
dynamite, ammonia nitrates and chlorates. The training is ongoing with sessions
on a monthly basis. If Tobi were to find an explosive, he would sniff
it out and then sit down, signaling to Iriyama a problem with the package or the
area. His good work is rewarded not with food or a treat, but with a rolled up
towel that he uses to play tug-of-war with Iriyama. Tobi exercises regularly and
eats only dog food to maintain his muscular 68 pounds. Iriyama is with
Tobi nearly 24 hours a day, caring for the dog at his home and feeding, bathing
and watching over his partner. "We even sleep in the same room," Iriyama said laughing.
Tobi is the only explosives detection dog in
the 23-campus California State University system and is frequently loaned to
different sites to sweep an area before a visit from a dignitary. Last month
Tobi and Iriyama traveled to CSU Fresno before an event where the Rev. Billy
Graham was speaking. In the past, the two have also gone to CSU Sacramento, CSU
Chico and San Jose State. Public Safety decided to add an explosives
detection dog to the force about four years ago. Like many universities, SFSU
typically receives bomb threats near mid-term and final exams. While officers
investigate the threats, the department wanted an added layer of protection,
Chief Kim Wible said. A bomb-sniffing dog was the best line of defense.
Another reason for bringing the dog on board was evidence that Theodore
Kaczynski, the convicted Unabomber, used SFSU as a return address on one of the
mail bombs he sent. Given the tragic events of Sept. 11 and the recent
bioterrorism attacks, the University is responding in various ways to keep the
campus community safe:
- All mail delivered to the campus mailroom is being scanned by an X-ray
machine similar to that used at airports. SFSU is the only CSU campus with
such equipment. Each piece of mail is scanned through the X-ray machine,
which detects substances, solid materials and hard and metal objects. While
mail has been scanned through the X-ray machines for years, as part of the
recent heightened security efforts, Public Safety officers now operate the
scanners. In addition, Public Safety maintains portable X-ray equipment that
can be used anywhere on campus.
- The Department of Human Resources provided information sessions to
employees last week about handling mail safely.
- Additional Public Safety officers regularly patrol campus.
- The Student Health Service will provide medical advice and information
on environmental exposures as requested.
FAIR USE NOTICE This article contains
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Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this article is distributed
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