At Williams-Brice Stadium, there's a different kind of athlete on the field, one with four paws,

a wagging tail, and a nose for justice. In our first episode of "Off the Leash," we met with

Sgt. Mark Tevepaugh and his K9 partner, Poppy, from the University of South Carolina

Police Department (USC PD) to learn about their crucial role in keeping the community safe.

Sgt. Tevepaugh's journey to the K-9 unit started with a personal mission to give back to

the university that means so much to his family. After years as a patrol officer, he was drawn

to the unique bond he saw between K-9 handlers and their partners, and he decided he

wanted to be a part of it.

Learn more about USCPD here.

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