June 11, 2026 — During this month’s board meeting, the district, board members, and Superintendent Chris Ragsdale paused to recognize an extraordinary member of the Cobb Schools Police Department, K-9 Sadie, celebrating her retirement after 11 years of service supporting safe learning environments across the district. For more than a decade, students, staff, and visitors across Cobb Schools may have seen a friendly four-legged officer walking calmly through school hallways.
While many knew her as a gentle and affectionate presence eager for attention, K-9 Sadie also served as a highly trained canine officer and one of the district’s most trusted safety partners. Since joining the Cobb County School District Police Department in January 2015, K-9 Sadie worked alongside Officer Marshall Duling as a trained detection dog. Her primary responsibility was supporting school safety operations by conducting proactive searches on school campuses.
For parents, this work is an important part of the district’s prevention-first safety strategy. Rather than responding only after incidents occur, K-9 teams like Sadie’s help school police take early action to reduce risks and maintain drug-free learning environments. K-9 Sadie’s service is one component of Cobb Schools’ comprehensive safety approach, supported through Cobb Shield, the district’s layered school safety framework.
Cobb Shield includes multiple safety measures designed with families in mind, such as:
- More than 80 trained officers serve the district and our schools
- Vapor Wake canine detection teams
- Emergency preparedness planning and drills
- Safety technologies across campuses
- Anonymous reporting tools, including the District tipline, for students and families
- Mental health and student support resources
- Ongoing training for staff and school safety teams
Together, these layers are designed to ensure that every school maintains a structured, consistent approach to safety and preparedness.
Board Recognitions
Darryl York - Director of Policy & Planning, Retirement
K9 Retirement – Sadie
