BLACKSBURG (WSLS 10) -- A Virginia Tech K9 team known across the Commonwealth is set to retire later this month.
Officer Larry Wooddell and Boomer are leaving the force. Wooddell has been in law enforcement for 30 years.
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He started working with the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office then joined the Virginia Tech police department in 1994.
Wooddell and Boomer have been together since 2008. In that time, the two have worked everything from crime scenes to bomb threats. Wooddell says the team is often called across the state to help in difficult situations.
"They've called Boomer to go out to look for the weapon and we actually found the weapon which was good. It was a good feeling for me and he was excited about it too because he knew how excited I was."
Wooddell says they work well together, even other handlers notice.
"Just understanding the dog," he said. "We call it reading the dog because we know when the dog is doing something. It's a unique bond that we have together."
Wooddell says he's looking forward to relaxing and letting Boomer, now 9-years-old, ride in his personal vehicle once he's officially his April first.