Our K9's

"Flame" The Accelerant Detector Dog

During the past several years, accelerant detection dogs have become commonly visible at fire scenes. These professionally trained dogs can detect various flammable and combustible liquid odor residues found at fires scenes. Canines have the ability to detect these odors at low levels. The canine is a valuable tool that can assist the fire investigator in locating these flammable and combustible liquid odors at fire scenes.

HISTORY
In the mid 1980's a group of Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) agents started to research the possibility of using dogs to detect the presents of flammable liquid residues at fire scenes. On May 1, 1986 the State of Connecticut Police began its first training program with a black female Labrador retriever named Mattie. Tests proved that she could detect 17 different odors.

There were a few detector dogs in Canada,Tom Hutton of Ontario Fire Marshal's Office and former OPP (Ontario Provincial Police) canine officer has trained at least three accelerant dogs and are in use in Ontario. In Nova Scotia, Frank Savage a former firefighter with Cole Harbour Fire Department, now a Deputy Fire Marshal for the Province of Nova Scotia had success with his Yellow Labrador "Major" which he informally trained and utilized.

How a detector dog is used....
Once the canine had alerted, a sample should be taken and submitted to a laboratory for analysis and confirmation. The laboratory plays an essential role in the detection of the presence of a flammable or combustible liquid in the submitted sample. Without laboratory analysis, the fire investigator is unable to determine if the sample does indeed contain hydrocarbon residue. It is essential that laboratory analysis is be performed on each and every sample that is taken at a fire scene. Comparison samples should also be taken and submitted to the laboratory for analysis. The canine is a useful tool to assist the fire investigator in the determination of these odors a t the fire scene.

The canine should be used as a tool and should not replace the basic investigative skills needed by the fire investigator to determine the origin and cause of the fire. One advantage to using the canine is that the number of samples that are taken at a fire scene can be reduced thus reducing the cost of sample analysis.

At this time there is no set of national standards for canine accelerant detection dogs and handlers. Standards are currently being developed as part of National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA) NFPA 921. If the canine does alert, then a sample can be taken from that area for analysis. The canine can decrease the time that it takes an investigator to process the scene.

Presently the CADA (Canine Accelerant Detection Association) have standards and perform certifications in North America.

Canine accelerant detection dogs have proven them selves as a useful tool to assist the fire investigator. Utilizing an accelerant detection dog as part of your fire investigation can easily be achieved. We offer the use of a certified accelerant detection dog on a nationwide basis. The accelerant dog and the handler can be called to support your Special Investigation Unit investigators or other private fire investigators already on the scene.

SAVE TIME - SAVE MONEY

Utilizing an accelerant detection dog is a time saving and money saving tool that should be used by fire investigators on a regular basis. Once you have seen an accelerant detection dog work at a fire scene, you will realize the important role that these canines play in fire scene analysis.

Bill Grimmer has trained the first such detector dog in Atlantic Canada. Working and training with the Shediac Municipal Fire Department the dog is available on a user fee basis to other fire departments, fire investigators and insurance adjusters in the Atlantic area.

BGMDT's dog is a Labrador Retriever named "FLAME". Flame was the product of a local Moncton breeder "Haddondale Kennels" and was aptitude tested by Bill when only 8 weeks old. She began her initial (first level) training at 13 weeks of age and can easily detect the presence of hydrocarbons at fire scenes.

CONTACT
To learn more about the services and training of the BGMDT K9 accelerant detection dog:
Phone: (506) 532-4988, Fax: (506) 532-6368 or contact by E-mail: grimmer@rogers.com

"Tengu" The LSD Detector

Only 18 pounds and 10 inches high and he can find LSD anywhere. Just LSD?, Not likely! Tengu a diminutive Shiba Inu (Japanese breed dog) can locate marijuana, heroin, cocaine , methamphetamine and Amphetamines. In fact, in 1996 he was certified by the Texas Police K9 Association.

The Texas Police K9 Association is a major certifying agency in the State for law enforcement K9's. It has members from State police, municipal ,city police and federal agencies such as the Border Patrol. The testing official said identical statements when Tengu went in the room and when he left the room. He said, "That dog can find drugs?" upon entering the testing area and he said it again with an exclamation rather than a question mark when the dog was finished.

Tengu was tested along with 12 other police dogs and was one of only 5 that certified on all drugs. Rooms and cars have drugs surreptitiously placed in areas designed to confuse the handler and the teams have a time limit to find them. Not only was Tengu the smallest competitor among the Labradors, Shepherds and Malinois but was also one of the youngest. At only 7 months old he was by far the youngest "certified" narcotic detector dog in Canada.

He also claimed the distinction of being the only LSD detector dog in Canada and perhaps the USA at that time. Training to detect LSD was not done in the past because the substance is so dangerous to use. Chemical effects of a micro-dot can be absorbed through the skin and be disastrous to the animal. The SIGMA Chemical Company in St. Louis Missouri selected Bill to work with a drug dog training aid they developed called "pseudo LSD". The product, while safe to dogs, mimics the actual odor that real LSD emanates thereby allowing safe training conditions. Bill and Tengu worked with the new formula and then tested on real Lysergic Acid Diethylamide. The stuff worked, Tengu has proven to be able to locate quantities as small as 5 micro-dots hidden in cabinets, books and vehicles.

Why a small, friendly, "cute" dog to detect drugs and firearms? Bill decided it was time to train a small non intrusive dog to detect contraband for use by private industry as well as law enforcement agencies. A small dog can travel easier, get into small confined spaces more comfortably and best of all, be accepted by the public. Besides training and teaching Bill's work entails contraband searches on offshore oil rigs, remote lumber camps and retail businesses and working with a big scary dog can be contra-productive. A dog like Tengu is accepted by adults and children alike and schools can use such a dog with positive results and acceptance.

Bill has been working with the United States government through the Texas Narcotic Control Program since 1993. His pilot project there has developed over 105 narcotic detector dog teams with various law enforcement agencies in the State. Working from the Fort Worth located Tarrant County Criminal Justice Center dogs and their handlers attend special training modules designed to teach the dogs exceptional detection capabilities. From time to time dogs brought from Canada by Grimmer are tested along with the resident teams for their abilities. To date (1995) the project has amassed over 13 million ($13,000,000). in assets and narcotic related seizures.

Presently there is in excess of 155 metric tons of cocaine and 23 metric tons of heroin seized world wide per year and the street prices have dropped to less than $100. Per gram. There is a lot of money at stake in narcotics and it is thought that almost 70% of the illicit trade destined for the Canadian-US market enters through the Texas-Mexican borders.

Educators agree that information is the best way to curb the use of killer drugs and interdiction at the school level necessary to protect our youth. More and more school districts are developing protective plans to find and rid schools and impressionable young children of drug temptations. One of the best eradication techniques involves the use of detector dog teams working in the schools. These teams are privately contracted, police arranged or "in-house" operations and either way competent dogs are needed.

A concern of the school districts, parents and students is the perceivable image that detector dog teams makes, small, friendly dogs are always better accepted. New "in-house" school programs have the students themselves handling the detector dogs as a resident mascot.