Habersham County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Eugene Kemp and his K-9 partner, Roxy, proved they’re the team to beat! The pair took first place in the Explosive Detection K-9 Challenge at the 2025-2026 Georgia Police and Fire Games. The event was held at Riverside Academy in Gainesville on June 18.
K-9 Roxy is trained to detect explosives and firearms-related evidence. She has served with Lt. Kemp for more than eight years. Together, they are part of Georgia Emergency Management (GEMA) and Homeland Security’s Explosive Ordinance Detection Team.
According to the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office, the team trains to federal standards and completes about 16 hours of training each month. Their work includes assisting federal, state, and local law enforcement in searching for explosives, firearms, and spent ammunition.
Lt. Kemp and K-9 Roxy also help secure large public events, schools, and federal buildings across Georgia. Their unit is funded in part through a federal grant awarded by GEMA.
The Georgia Police & Fire Games were held June 16-21 at Riverside Preparatory Academy in Gainesville. The week-long event drew public safety competitors from every corner of the state. Gainesville and Hall County also hosted the Games in 2021. Last year’s Games were held in Columbus.
