PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Portland Fire & Rescue announced a new “secret weapon” in the fight against arson crime — she has four legs and a super nose.
K9 Kiki is the agency’s newest member and uses her nose to sniff out causes of fires, according to a press release by PF&R. This 3-year-old “special investigator” is described as an accelerant detection canine who has partnered with Lt. Jason Andersen during a four-week canine-training school.
“Accelerant detection canines, commonly called arson dogs, are trained law enforcement dogs that are used to sniff out evidence at fire scenes,” PF&R said in the announcement. “These canine heroes work alongside their human handlers, identifying the cause of home or business fires, assisting in cold crime cases, and uncovering potential evidence in homicides.”
The program is funded by State Farm and is available to fire departments and law enforcement agencies across the United States.
PF&R says since its inception in 1993, the State Farm Arson Dog Program has placed more than 435 dogs in 46 states, three Canadian provinces and the District of Columbia. All arson dog teams are trained by Maine Specialty Dogs and certified by the Maine State Police.
“We feel law enforcement officials should have every tool possible to combat this costly — and sometimes deadly — crime,” State Farm spokesperson Amy Harris said. “These K-9s enable investigators to do their job more efficiently and effectively. The scope of arson goes beyond impacting insurance companies, it affects the personal and financial well-being of us all. Training dogs to detect accelerants at fire scenes saves time and money in arson investigations.”
PF&R says this is Andersen’s first K9 trained through the State Farm Arson Dog Program. K9 Kiki is a female yellow Labrador retriever raised by Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto, FL.