military K-9

Former Navy SEAL Trains Dogs to Find and Attack Active Shooters in Schools

A dog trained by veteran Joshua Morton to respond to school shootings will start working in a school for the first time in January.

A former Navy SEAL is making headlines for using his skills as a K-9 handler in the military to train dogs to respond to gunfire in schools by tracking down the gunman.

Joshua Morton of Iowa originally started training police dogs when he returned from his final overseas, NBC Washington reported. But when he started mass shootings and how assault weapons were used to perpetrate violence in schools, Morton decided to start training dogs to respond to active shooter situations.

"I did not expect to see what I saw overseas, to see it in schools. But, unfortunately, it's happening," Morton told NBC. "I've been trying to find this solution for a very long time."

That idea has culminated in a Minnesota school preparing to receive one of Morton’s dogs in January, along with a trained K-9 handler. The price tag is high, at $125,000 per year for a dog and a handler, but Morton believes it’s worth it to ensure student safety.

During training, the dogs are taught to use their senses to find the room where they heard the gunshots and go after the person handling the gun. Morton is currently working with five puppies who are clones of his original training dog. The veteran said cloning the dogs makes their behavior and response to training more consistent. 

Morton acknowledged that in the event of an active shooter, the trainer is sending the dog as a “canary,” or a distraction, so that the gunman will direct its attention to the animal instead of people and commit fewer casualties.

"It's a hard pill to swallow but I'm sorry, it's reality,” he said. “I would rather it be him than a child or somebody else."

Administrators at an Iowa school expressed skepticism about some of the logistics of keeping the dog and handler on campus, including where the dog would stay during the school day and who the district would hire to handle the animal.

But Morton said it’s imperative that veterans and others who have experience dealing with active shooter scenarios are put in the position to help save lives with their trained K-9s.

“You can't expect your gym teacher to do this," Morton said.

About the Author

Haley Samsel is an Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Enhancing K-12 Campus Safety with Smart Sensors

    In today’s educational environment, school safety is a top priority—not just for administrators, but for parents, students, and entire communities. Gone are the days when locking doors and hiring a school resource officer were sufficient deterrents to threats. Read Now

  • Ensuring School Bus Safety: Tech-Driven Advancements and Their Impact on Student Transportation

    Parents and school districts have always shared one fundamental, non-negotiable goal: to keep students safe while traveling to and from school. Period. Read Now

  • How Campus Security Became an Art of Disappearing

    Walk across any university campus at 8:47 a.m. on a Tuesday, and you'll witness something remarkable. Thousands of students stream through buildings, carrying everything from vintage MacBooks to oversized coffee cups, lost in conversations about weekend plans or upcoming exams. If the right weapons detection is in place, most will never notice the sophisticated security measures protecting them. This invisibility can represent the highest achievement in modern campus security design. Read Now

  • Torrance USD Standardizes Its Mass Communications

    The Torrance Unified School District is a cornerstone of the Torrance, Calif. community, dedicated to providing a high-quality education that prepares students for success in college, career, and life. Serving a diverse student population, Torrance USD delivers a comprehensive and enriching educational experience from kindergarten through high school. The school district comprises 17 elementary, eight middle, and five high schools, one continuation high school, and one alternative high school.  Read Now