Galloway, N.J. –Stockton University Police Chief Tracy Stuart and her K-9 partner Freya traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to compete in a national detector dog trial, where they took home third place overall this month.

The dynamic duo’s award comes on the heels of their recertification through the United States Police Canine Association (USPCA), which took place on Stockton’s Galloway campus in March.

The competition is similar to the recertification in that the odor recognition tests consisted of cans, rooms, parcels and vehicles. Teams from across the country were evaluated in their ability to search for and identify explosive materials effectively and efficiently.  

The dogs begin with a pass/fail exercise in which they search for six explosive materials among 18 cans and 11 distracting items.

Passing teams then participate in three operational exercises – a parcel search for two explosive materials out of 15; a vehicle search for two out of 15; and a room search for two out of three.

“The competition provides the ability to challenge my skills and my dog's skills against some of the very best canine teams in the nation while being judged by some of the most experienced individuals in the field of canine,” Stuart said, explaining that the competition also allows her to stay on top of industry trends and network with officers who share her experience in handling large-scale events on university campuses.

“Being one of five individuals on the USPCA national explosives committee, it is important that I stay on top of areas of concern and best practices as it relates to testing, safety protocols and best practices,” Stuart continued.

The latest award will join Stuart’s collection of accolades – she previously won national detection dog titles in 2022 with Freya and in 2018 and 2019 with her late K-9 partner, Hemi.

Stockton’s top cop remains humble, though, about her accomplishments.

“In the big picture, one realizes while traveling to such a large event that the world is a big place and there are many ideas that work. For me to continually be at or near the top of the results makes me extremely proud,” Stuart said. “When competing, I feel incredibly honored to represent my agency, the university and our community. It is a blessing that I take great pride in. This is an invaluable experience.”

Stockton’s Police Department has been selected to host the 2026 USPCA National Detector Dog Trials with assistance from the association’s Region 15.

“In 2018, the university hosted one of the most successful national events ever, with approximately 100 teams from around the country attending,” Stuart said. “At that time, we were afforded the opportunity to showcase the beautiful campus and the educational opportunities that we have to offer. We are honored to have been chosen to do so again.”

– Story by Loukaia Tayor

– Photos submitted

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