EVANSTON (WNE) — Last week, the Wyoming Highway Patrol trained their first Narcotic Detection K-9 to detect the odor of fentanyl. 

Fentanyl has been widely reported in the news lately as one of the most potent and deadly drugs on the streets of America. 

“Fentanyl has been linked to a significant increase in fatal overdoses throughout the United States,” according to a WHP press release. “The Wyoming Highway Patrol knew something needed to be done to help combat this dangerous drug, so we trained one of our Narcotic Detection K-9s to detect this odor.” 

The WHP partnered with MAKOR K-9 and Precision Explosives to conduct this training safely and effectively for the handler and K-9. 

The K-9 was trained on the “trace odor” of fentanyl and pure fentanyl. The training aid containing fentanyl is in a device that only releases vapor of the odor, and no particles can be released. There were no issues or safety concerns that arose during the training. 

“The Wyoming Highway Patrol is at the forefront of taking this deadly drug off the streets and out of our communities and is proud to be one of only a few agencies in the country to have a fentanyl-trained K-9,” the release states.