{"686542":{"#nid":"686542","#data":{"type":"news","title":" GTPD Honors Life and Legacy of K-9, Pepper","body":[{"value":"\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAfter a bagpipe rendition of \u201cAmazing Grace\u201d faded out across Tech Lawn, the Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) delivered the final call of Pepper \u2014 K-9 Unit 123.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe 8-year-old German shepherd\u0027s watch ended in late October following a career of dedicated service to the Institute. Always standing ready with her tail wagging to begin her shift, Pepper was on duty for historic events at Tech and across Georgia. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs an explosive detection canine, Pepper provided protection for the 2024 presidential debate, the Masters, dignitary visits, World Cup preliminary matches, United Nations meetings, Super Bowl 53, and countless Georgia Tech sporting events. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EHailed as a guardian, partner, and part of the GTPD community, Pepper was also a member of the family for her handler, Sgt. Manuel Blair. The two formed a lifelong bond, which Blair will miss from sunup to sundown. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022From the time she woke up to the time she went to sleep, she was focused on me. I would joke about the song \u2018Somebody\u0027s Watching Me\u2019 \u2014 that was her. She was always focused on me to give the next direction. \u2018Are we going to work? Are we going to play?\u2019 She was always focused on me, and that\u0027s what I\u0027ll miss most,\u0022 he said. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EBlair says his partner was as gentle as she was devoted to her work and had a particular affection for babies and children.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EDelivering remarks during Wednesday\u0027s memorial service, Robert Turner \u2014 a former K-9 handler with GTPD who, along with Blair, selected Pepper \u2014 said Pepper\u0027s life of selfless acts will cement her legacy as a hero. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022It\u0027s the heart behind those acts that forges a hero,\u0022 Turner said. \u0022There is no purer heart than that of a police K-9. From the moment they enter this world to the moment they close their eyes for the final time, their motives are pure. They want to please their handler; that\u0027s it. Every act is an act of trust,\u0022 Turner said. \u201cThe bond between a K-9 and their handler is unmatched. This bond is built with the purest of hearts and is formed with thousands of acts of trust.\u0022\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003ETurner recalled the day he and Blair met Pepper, saying their focus wasn\u0027t on finding the best-looking dog but finding the one that best exemplified a readiness to serve. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022It just so happened that Pepper was also the most beautiful dog,\u0022 Turner said.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E\u003Cdiv\u003E\u003Cp\u003EInterim Capt. Brian Bonus remarked that, while the department said goodbye to a hero, her memory lives on through her contributions to creating a safe environment for all students, staff, faculty, and visitors at Georgia Tech.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003C\/div\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"The German shepherd served the Georgia Tech Police Department since 2017. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EThe German shepherd served the Georgia Tech Police Department since 2017.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The German shepherd served the Georgia Tech Police Department since 2017. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-11-19 19:45:43","changed_gmt":"2025-11-19 20:19:39","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-11-19T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678679":{"id":"678679","type":"image","title":"GTPD K-9 Pepper","body":null,"created":"1763581600","gmt_created":"2025-11-19 19:46:40","changed":"1763581600","gmt_changed":"2025-11-19 19:46:40","alt":"GTPD K-9 Pepper sits in the back of a car. ","file":{"fid":"262738","name":"Screenshot-2025-11-19-at-1.08.59-PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/Screenshot-2025-11-19-at-1.08.59-PM.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/Screenshot-2025-11-19-at-1.08.59-PM.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1589389,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/19\/Screenshot-2025-11-19-at-1.08.59-PM.png?itok=eA8HO9gC"}},"678680":{"id":"678680","type":"image","title":"memorial processional ","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia State Patrol Major Sergeant Scott Gunn leads the processional at Pepper\u0027s memorial service on the Georgia Tech campus. Photo by Allison Carter.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763581902","gmt_created":"2025-11-19 19:51:42","changed":"1763581902","gmt_changed":"2025-11-19 19:51:42","alt":"Pepper\u0027s Memorial Processional ","file":{"fid":"262740","name":"CaUnjrlQ.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/CaUnjrlQ.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/CaUnjrlQ.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1787420,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/19\/CaUnjrlQ.jpeg?itok=-dChpOR2"}},"678681":{"id":"678681","type":"image","title":"Pepper Memorial Flag","body":"\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech Police Robert Connolly presents the flag to Pepper\u0027s handler, Sgt. Manuel Blair.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763582036","gmt_created":"2025-11-19 19:53:56","changed":"1763582036","gmt_changed":"2025-11-19 19:53:56","alt":"Pepper Memorial Flag","file":{"fid":"262741","name":"-u9hiFOg.jpeg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/-u9hiFOg_0.jpeg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/-u9hiFOg_0.jpeg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":1407969,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/19\/-u9hiFOg_0.jpeg?itok=vDhkPgwl"}},"678682":{"id":"678682","type":"image","title":"Pepper Poses with Georgia Tech football","body":"\u003Cp\u003EPhoto courtesy of GTPD.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","created":"1763583434","gmt_created":"2025-11-19 20:17:14","changed":"1763583434","gmt_changed":"2025-11-19 20:17:14","alt":"Pepper poses with a Georgia Tech football. ","file":{"fid":"262743","name":"Screenshot-2025-11-19-at-3.15.32-PM.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/Screenshot-2025-11-19-at-3.15.32-PM_0.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/11\/19\/Screenshot-2025-11-19-at-3.15.32-PM_0.png","mime":"image\/png","size":1576360,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/11\/19\/Screenshot-2025-11-19-at-3.15.32-PM_0.png?itok=xa47W3dG"}}},"media_ids":["678679","678680","678681","678682"],"groups":[{"id":"1214","name":"News Room"}],"categories":[],"keywords":[{"id":"3390","name":"Georgia Tech Police Department"},{"id":"2540","name":"K-9"},{"id":"97751","name":"K9 Unit"},{"id":"6015","name":"memorial service"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013 Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}