When we think of police dogs, we may envision the intense stare of a German Shepherd or the explosive speed of a Belgian Malinois in pursuit of a fleeing suspect. Few imagine a calm and quiet Labrador Retriever methodically moving through a clutter-filled room, nose to the floor, searching every square inch for electronic devices that could hold the evidence needed to rescue a child and bring offenders to justice.
Yet that is exactly the mission of Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9s.
These highly specialized dogs are trained to locate electronic devices such as cell phones, thumb drives, hard drives, and micro-storage devices. Using their extraordinary sense of smell, they detect Triphenylphosphine Oxide (TPPO), a chemical compound commonly used in the manufacturing of these devices.
Criminal offenders often go to great lengths to conceal evidence. Devices containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) may be hidden inside children’s toys, behind electrical outlets, inside walls, tucked into clothing, or buried in storage containers in basements. What might take investigators hours – or even days – to locate can often be found in minutes by a trained ESD K9.
Our Rescue proudly partners with the Jordan Detection K9 training program in Indiana, sponsoring ESD K9s teams that support investigations around the world. Since the program’s founding in 2017, more than 150 Our Rescue-sponsored ESD K9s have been deployed to police departments and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) taskforces across nearly all 50 states, as well as Canada, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. With a nearly 90 percent success rate, these K9s regularly uncover critical evidence that might otherwise remain hidden.
Hidden Cameras and Hidden Crimes vs. ESD K9 Sunny
Recently, one of those K9s, Sunny, played an important role during a major human trafficking investigation in Alaska.
After more than a year of investigation, law enforcement agencies across Alaska executed search warrants at seven businesses in Anchorage and the Matanuska Susitna Valley as part of an investigation into suspected sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation. During the coordinated operation, investigators collected evidence, identified potential victims, and arrested seven individuals on trafficking-related charges.
As officers searched locations connected to the investigation, Sunny focused on a type of evidence that often goes unnoticed during trafficking cases: hidden cameras.
Hidden recording devices can create another layer of exploitation. Traffickers and exploiters can use cameras to monitor, control, intimidate, or profit from victims long after abuse occurs. Investigators know that what hides behind mirrors, smoke detectors, alarm clocks, or electrical outlets can matter just as much as what sits in plain sight.
Sunny and her handler entered customer rooms connected to the investigation and completed targeted searches for concealed devices. Her assignment focused on identifying hidden cameras that may have documented exploitation or created additional trauma for survivors.
This time, Sunny confirmed there was no evidence left behind.
A Multidisciplinary Team Effort to Protect Survivors
The operation brought together investigators from the Anchorage Police Department, Alaska State Troopers, the FBI Anchorage Field Office, prosecutors from the Alaska Department of Law, and numerous state and federal partners. Their work led investigators into businesses that authorities believe were operating as fronts for organized crime and exploitation.
Cases like this demonstrate the unique role ESD K9s play in investigations today. Every hidden device has the potential to contain evidence that identifies victims, exposes criminal networks, documents abuse, or helps hold offenders accountable.
Through support of Our Rescue’s ESD K9 program, specialized K9 teams receive the training and certification, equipment, and resources needed to assist law enforcement agencies in trafficking, exploitation, and child protection investigations around the world.
Behind every hidden device could be evidence that helps protect survivors and hold offenders accountable. Donations to Our Rescue’s ESD K9 program help train, equip, and deploy specialized K9 teams that support trafficking investigations across the world. Your support helps uncover what others are trying to hide.
