The Gainesville City School System has welcomed a K-9 unit that will serve the schools within the district.
K-9 Bella and her handler Officer Dustin Cleveland have been hired by the district to help continue the system's priority of keeping all schools secure for students.
“Having Bella on our security team adds a layer of protection that makes our schools even more safe,” Dr. Jeremy Williams, Superintendent of Gainesville City Schools, said. “Bella is a special dog and we are fortunate to have her on our team, not to mention the experience and professionalism that Officer Cleveland brings.”
Officer Cleveland, who recently retired from the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, brings 20 years of law enforcement experience to his new role at GCSS. Additionally, Officer Cleveland has been Bella’s handler for three years.
According to the school system, the K-9 unit’s primary responsibility will be to assist the school resource officers and armed security guards at each school within the district. Bella, a five-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, is trained to detect dangerous and illegal items, locate missing children, and will also be able to perform classroom demonstrations dealing with subjects such as bullying or drug use. The school system also hopes that Bella can be used as a tool to help students feel more comfortable interacting with law enforcement. As Bella and Officer Cleveland serve GCSS, they will also continue to support local law enforcement agencies when a need arises.
“While we were sad to see Dustin Cleveland retire from our agency, we knew it was only natural that Bella go with him so the two could continue their work as a K9 team,” Hall County Sheriff Gerald Couch said. “We’ve had great success with K9 teams in the county schools and it’s great to see the Gainesville City School System incorporate a team as part of its security plan.”
