Bomb dog, Burbon, helps with the search of daycare after a bomb threat on Tuesday

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

K-9 Officer Adam Hoskins and his dog, Burbon, have been assisting in bomb searches across Mid-Missouri since 2018.

Hoskins and Burbon train every week in Columbia with the master trainer out here. Hoskins said that they were in the middle of a training exercise when the Columbia Police Department requested their assistance in a bomb search.

Hoskins said he was happy to help and they headed straight to the Columbia KinderCare after Alexzander Green called in a bomb threat at the daycare on Tuesday.

"We went there, assisted with searching the perimeter and the interior for any explosive devices with the bomb techs and team, and Columbia Police Department, Columbia Fire Department, and everybody was there, and everybody did a great job securing the perimeter, and evacuating the students," said Hoskins.

Hoskins said, "Any situation is dangerous, regardless of what it is, because it's obviously somebody called in a bomb threat of some kind so the potential hazard of there actually being a bomb at any given time is there."

Hoskins has been in the force since 2015 and got his eight-year-old Springer Spaniel in 2018, Burbon is from Poland, and Hoskins is actually his second handler. Hoskins said that Burbon will continue to work by his side for as long as Burbon can work. "He should be so long as he is medically able, be able to do the job for another 4,5,6 years." 

Homeland Security gave the Capitol Police a grant in 2018 to add Burbon to the team. The grant covered the $10,589 for Burbon, $22,550 for the K-9 patrol car, and $1,264 for the training. Homeland Security and the Capitol police have an agreement that requires Hoskins and Burbon to assist with any search in and around the area.

Alexzander Green was arrested in Atchison, Kansas Thursday by local police. ABC 17 reached out to the Columbia Police Department to find out when Green will be extradited back to Columbia, but they have not gotten back to us at this time.