A nose for evidence: Meet the BCA’s newest K-9s
K-9 Mabel and K-9 Sebastian are trained to find things most people might never notice.
A microSD card, for example, can be smaller than your fingernail. At a crime scene, a piece of evidence that small can be easy to overlook — especially if someone has gone to great lengths to conceal it.
Hiding it from a person is one thing.
Hiding it from Mabel and Sebastian is another.
These two black Labradors are the newest members of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s (BCA) K-9 team, joining a group of specially trained dogs that help BCA agents and law enforcement agencies across Minnesota find evidence investigators might otherwise never see.
Two-year-old Sebastian came to the BCA from the Netherlands and is partnered with BCA Special Agent Dan Sachi. Mabel, 1, came from Hungary and is partnered with BCA Special Agent Sean Mooney.
And while they may look like typical Labs, they have a highly specialized skill: They can smell electronic evidence.
Cell phones. USB drives. External hard drives. SD cards and microSD cards.
Finding what investigators cannot always see
Electronic devices increasingly hold critical evidence in criminal investigations. But as technology has advanced, those devices have also become smaller and easier to conceal.
That's where Mabel and Sebastian come in.
Both dogs are trained to recognize the odor of triphenylphosphine oxide, or TPPO, a chemical associated with memory storage chips in electronic devices.
Agents first search a scene for visible electronic evidence. Once they have found what they can, Mabel or Sebastian can be brought in to search for small or concealed devices that may be difficult for a person to spot.
When Sebastian detects the odor he has been trained to find, for example, he sits next to the location to alert his handler. Some of the evidence the dogs can locate is as small enough to fit on a fingertip.
That tiny piece of technology could contain evidence that changes the direction of an investigation.
When work looks like play
Mabel and Sebastian know when it is time to work.
Handlers use a specific voice command as part of the dogs’ search ritual, signaling that it is time to start looking. The dogs are also trained to search objects and areas rather than people.
And while agents know they are searching for evidence, the dogs have a slightly different understanding of the assignment.
To them, they are looking for their toy.
Through extensive training, Mabel and Sebastian have learned that finding the odor they are trained to detect earns them their reward. That combination of training, drive and a Labrador’s enthusiasm for a favorite toy turns play into a powerful investigative tool.
“Watching them work is pretty remarkable,” said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans. “They are out there doing what they love, but the evidence they uncover can have a real impact on an investigation — and that is a valuable resource for agencies across Minnesota.”
An investment that serves all of Minnesota
Mabel and Sebastian’s work extends beyond BCA investigations. Their specialized skills are available to law enforcement agencies across Minnesota when electronic evidence may play a role in a case.
They will primarily work cases involving predatory crimes, where digital evidence can be especially important. Their noses may also be called on in financial crime investigations, homicides and other cases where electronic evidence could help investigators understand what happened and build a stronger case.
The BCA K-9 program also includes dogs trained for other specialties, including locating firearms, firearm parts, ammunition and spent shell casings.
Mabel and Sebastian represent the next chapter for the BCA’s electronic-detection K-9 program.
K-9 Luna, one of the BCA’s electronic-detection dogs, recently retired after serving the agency and Minnesota law enforcement partners. K-9 Sota continues that work, now joined by Mabel and Sebastian. The BCA also has K-9 Tros, who is trained to detect firearms, firearm parts, ammunition and spent shell casings.
Technology will continue to change. Devices will likely continue to get smaller. And the amount of evidence contained on them will continue to grow.
For investigators, that means finding those devices matters more than ever.
For Mabel and Sebastian, it means one thing: A toy is waiting when they find it.
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