Keeping the Badger safe.

Dean Schultz and Dara patrol the dock at Manitowoc, Wisconsin.

#SSBadger #LoveLudington #MasonCountyPeople

By Rob Alway, Editor-in-Chief

LUDINGTON — One of the top priorities for the owners of Lake Michigan Carferry Service is the safety of the passengers who ride the SS Badger. Since 2002, the Badger has provided security with a K-9 dog unit. This year, LMC expanded security with the addition of a second dog and handler. A natural fit for that job, according to Patrick McCarthy, vice president of onshore operations, was recently retired Ludington police sergeant Dean Schultz.

“When we knew we were going to have to find another dedicated handler for our K-9 unit, Dean Schultz seemed like a perfect fit,” McCarthy said. “He was someone with the right kind of background and knowledge with what he should look for.”

The ship is mandated by the Marine Transportation Safety Act of 2002, which mandates vessel operators to have security efforts in place to screen passengers and vehicles being transported by ships.

“We have a large number of vehicles on the Badger and needed a way to screen up to 150 cars within a short period of time,” McCarthy said. “During the peak season, the Badger is only in dock for two hours and using a K-9 team was the most efficient way for us to quickly screen vehicles.”

Learn more in video.