What is Kale? A) A leafy green vegetable B) A floppy-eared bomb-sniffing black Lab. If your answer is A, you would be correct. If your answer is B, you would also be correct. This month, K-9 Kale became the newest four-legged officer of the University of Tennessee Police Department.

UTPD Officer Eric Kestner received a top police award Friday during his graduation from the police academy. Kestner received the William D. Nuchols Award for Law Enforcement Excellence, one of the highest honors given in his Blount County Sheriff’s Office Basic Law Enforcement Training Academy graduating class.

It’s been a great academic year on Rocky Top. Here’s a look at some of UTPD’s highlights!

Krista Adamsky, a dispatch communications supervisor, graduated with an online Bachelor of Science in integrated studies with a criminal justice and education concentration from UT Chattanooga.

Kyle Botica, a corporal in the investigations division, graduated with an online bachelor’s in criminal justice from UT Chattanooga.

Emily Simerly, deputy chief of the UTPD administrative division, graduated with an online Master of Business Administration from UT Martin.