COBB COUNTY, GA — Cobb County School District is expanding its security dog program by adding five more Vapor Wake K9s to serve its middle schools.

The school board approved up to $1.2 million for five additional dogs and five handlers.

“$1.2 million out of fund balance to purchase an additional five Vapor Wake K9s, and to hire an additional five handlers,” Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said.

The dogs are trained to detect concealed guns and explosives and will rotate among the district’s 26 middle schools.

“Those five will divide up the middle schools to be able to travel between schools during the day,” Ragsdale said.

The expansion comes after a gun was found at Campbell Middle School shortly after classes began in August.

Cobb County already has 16 weapons-detecting dogs assigned to its high schools.

WSB Radio’s Ashley Simmons & Rob Archer contributed to this story.