For the past several years in Kenosha, when search warrants were executed in cases involving digital exploitation, two partners entered the scene together: Detective Pete Deates and Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Iris.
One carried decades of investigative experience.
The other carried a nose trained to find what offenders try to hide.
Together, they represent the final chapter of a 23-year career defined by service, leadership, and commitment to protecting the Kenosha community.
A Career Built on Steady Service
Detective Deates began his law enforcement career in patrol, serving eight years on the front lines.
For the past 15 years, he has served as a Detective. Seven of those years were dedicated to Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC).
For a significant period, Deates carried the ICAC caseload largely on his own. As online exploitation cases increased in volume and complexity, he built investigations from the ground up, preparing warrants, reviewing digital evidence, coordinating with prosecutors, and pursuing cases that required both technical precision and resilience.
The work was demanding and often unseen. But it laid the groundwork for what would come next.
Strengthened by Partnership
In March 2021, Iris graduated as Our Rescue’s first sponsored Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 in Wisconsin — #18 out of 142 sponsored globally. Trained to detect the chemical compounds found in digital storage devices, Iris was partnered with Deates and became a critical asset in cases where evidence was deliberately concealed.
Over approximately five years of service, Iris was deployed around 110 times. Her work contributed to 78 arrests and 9 rescues, maintaining a 94% success rate in locating hidden electronic devices that may have otherwise gone undiscovered.
In investigations where a micro SD card can be the size of a fingernail, that capability matters.
Iris and Detective Deates supported not only Kenosha cases, but agencies across Wisconsin and into neighboring states, strengthening regional efforts to confront the digital exploitation of children.
As Detective Deates retires, Iris will retire alongside him, closing out this chapter together.
A Career Worth Celebrating
This year, Detective Deates was named the Legislature’s 2025 First Responder of the Year through the Hometown Heroes Award, following nominations from Representative Tip McGuire and members of the 64th Assembly District.
It is a fitting recognition for a career marked by perseverance, service, and lasting impact.
At Our Rescue, we are honored to have supported ESD K9 Iris and, through that partnership, supported the incredible work of Detective Deates during the final years of his career.
For decades, Deates walked into some of the darkest corners so that children could be safe, and in the final years of his career, K9 Iris joined him, amplifying that mission and uncovering what might have otherwise stayed hidden. Their partnership is a testament to courage, dedication, and the relentless pursuit of justice, and it inspires all of us to continue standing for the vulnerable and holding predators accountable.
