The month of June is Internet Safety Month, dedicated to raising awareness intended to encourage safe, responsible use of the internet among children, teens, and young adults. This month is also cause – or “Paws” in this case – for celebration as Our Rescue announces its newest Graduating Class of Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s.
These highly trained dogs have just passed a two-week intensive training with their handlers and are about to embark on a very important mission in their new police departments: identifying, tracking, and locating electronic devices that may hold key evidence in child exploitation cases.
With the internet and especially with artificial intelligence (AI), online predators are growing in number and sophistication, increasingly capable of concealing their actions and the evidence. These specialized dogs are detectives on the job, locating electronic devices like cell phones, USB drives, hidden cameras, tracking equipment, and micro-storage devices that can be missed by human searches. They’re trained to detect a chemical compound called TPPO that is used in manufacturing electronic storage devices.
Perpetrators are adept at hiding devices inside children’s toys, in piles of clutter, even in the walls of a house. These devices potentially contain key evidence and help outline the digital footprint of suspects involved in the illegal creation and distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
On day one of a two-week intensive training, dogs are introduced to their handlers at the Jordan Detection K9 facility, owned and managed by Todd Jordan in Indiana. They spend the next 14 days bonding, training together, and learning how to read each other’s signals. The curriculum teaches search methods, leash techniques, reward systems, and they practice searches in different environments among other exercises.
Meet the ESD K9 Class of June 2026
With the help of generous donors, Our Rescue has sponsored 162 ESD K9s, and that number continues to climb along with demand. Police departments in nearly all 50 states, almost all Canadian provinces, and around the world apply to receive an ESD K9 knowing the impact they can have on CSAM cases, investigations, and prosecutions. Law enforcement knows that behind every piece of CSAM is a vulnerable child (or children) who need help, and this K9 resource could accelerate their ability to intervene and bring that child to safety.
We’re proud to welcome this newest group to the ranks of the other 152 exceptional ESD K9s.
- Detective Natashia Miner – K9 Arya
- Detective Stuart Brown – K9 Norman
- Sergeant Susan Adelle Brown – K9 Timbrr
- Sergeant Sara Jane Christian – K9 Dayda
- Special Agent Michael A Alvarez – K9 Harper
- Detective Lisa Horton – K9 Nala
- Detective Jovan Tamayo – K9 Sage
- Rusten Sheskey – K9 Ronnie
- Gabriel Thrasher – K9 Truth
- Detective Jarod Aspenson – K9 Rico
Our Rescue’s ESD K9 program is recognized as a differentiator in CSAM cases. According to Chaz Balogh, Relationship Manager of Our Rescue’s North America Region, police departments are increasingly aware of the value an ESD K9 brings to their work combating human trafficking and child sexual exploitation.
“We’ve seen how grateful and eager agencies have been to welcome a new ESD K9 partner to the department. Each year, it seems we reach new levels of engagement and collaboration right from the start of the class,” said Chaz. “Many of the handlers now arrive for training with a strong understanding of Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) or a background in forensics. These skills help create meaningful dialogue and teamwork throughout their training.”
According to Chaz, the dogs train for months prior to the two-week course, many of them in training to become service dogs. The focus is now on the handler, and it’s the K9 who teaches them what they have learned and how to become a successful K9 team. Chaz also noted a strong sense of excitement and pride among the agencies as they prepare to welcome their new ESD K9 partners to their departments and communities.
Our Rescue graduate just became the 300th dog ever trained at Jordan Detection K9
“Together with Jordan Detection K9 we’re excited to announce a special milestone,” shared Chaz. “Our Rescue’s ESD K9 graduate, “Arya,” just became the 300th dog to go through Todd’s training and will be going home with her handler to North Carolina after graduation.”
Todd Jordan and the team at Jordan Detection K9 have been tremendous partners in bringing more highly trained and highly impactful Electronic Storage Detection K9s to law enforcement agencies around the world. Congratulations to Todd Jordan on 300 K9s and we’re looking forward to many more in the coming years.
