- Maverick, a black Labrador Retriever, joined the University of Florida Police Department's K-9 Unit for explosive detection duties in 2024.
- Maverick will assist Officer Jenna Cuevo in securing large events and collaborating with other agencies for explosive detection.
- Maverick replaced K-9 Ruff after his retirement, joining three other explosive-detection dogs to maintain the unit's team size at four.
A new furry and explosive-detecting nose will be sniffing around the University of Florida’s campus this year, as Maverick, a black Labrador Retriever, has joined the police department’s (UFPD) K-9 Unit.
Maverick will work with UFPD Officer Jenna Cuevo to help secure large campus events, including football games, commencement ceremonies, and other major gatherings.
UFPD spokesperson Kailey Tedjeske said he’ll also participate in regular safety efforts around campus and partner with other law enforcement agencies when needed for other explosive detection operations.
Although Maverick is a working dog focused on the tasks before him, Tedjeske said he is very friendly and loves attention. She said whenever students encounter Maverick, they’re encouraged to check with his handler first and go in for pets.
“We want students to feel comfortable saying hello when the situation allows,” Tedjeske said. “He is part of the UF community now, and we are excited for students to get to know him.”
Tedjeske said four explosive-detection-trained K-9s at the department are the magic number. Maverick joined unit members Bailey, Libby and Beto to replace K-9 Ruff, who retired in June after seven years with UFPD.
Tedjeske said the process of training and pairing a K-9 with their handler is extensive and that Cuevo and Maverick spent months working on communication and building trust to work effectively as a team.
Cuevo came up with several options for his name before sharing them with the UF Student Government for the final vote. Maverick won.
UF Public Safety posted videos to Facebook announcing the new K-9, accompanied by music from, of course, “Top Gun.”
“Having students involved in choosing his name made his introduction to the UF community even more special,” Tedjeske said.
