EFD introduces new arson dog | Crime

The Evansville Fire Department introduced the newest member of its arson investigation team – an accelerant-sniffing Labrador Retriever named Shadow – during a news conference and skills display Wednesday morning at the Evansville Fire Department Administration Building.

Shadow was assigned to his handler, Fire/Arson Investigator Richard Howard in April, to begin training.  Shadow and Howard recently completed an extensive five-week canine accelerant detection school sponsored by State Farm® and were certified as a K-9 Team by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and Maine State Police.  Shadow stays with Howard on- and off-duty and trains four to eight times each day.  He is expected to be able to work with the EFD for 10 to 12 years.  K-9 Teams are available to respond to any jurisdiction needing assistance.

Shadow can locate flammable liquids used to start or accelerate fires more efficiently than electronic flammable liquid “sniffers.”  He can also search large areas and fields for accelerant containers or contaminated clothing that may have been discarded by an arsonist, and can sniff out arson suspects that may otherwise go undetected.  Shadow cannot work fires that are suspected to be meth lab related.

Shadow is the third arson dog to become a member of the Evansville Fire Department.  Murphy (deceased) joined the EFD in 1992 and was assigned to Investigator Roger Griffin.  Sadie joined the EFD in 2002 and is handled by Investigator Jesse Storey.