Clandestine grace identification and cadaver canine use

HISTORY OF PHILADELPHIA POLICE CANINE UNIT

Past:

• Unit started in 1962.

• Primary function was to patrol Center City (business area) and the Transit System.

Now:

• The PPD Canine Unit is a regional training center that teaches and certifies in the following areas:

using dogs for

• patrol

• narcotic detection

• explosive detection

• cadaver detections

cadaver detection canine program

established 1998

what is a cadaver canine

• A canine specifically trained to locate decomposing human remains and give a trained indication.

search and rescue

live scent

cadaver

• decomposing scent (intrinsically human)

• putrescine

• cadaverine

myths

• All Cadaver canines are Search and Rescue trained

• All Search and Rescue canines are Cadaver Canines.

• A dog understands English or other human language..

stache (professor dog)

•“Deep Run’s Kerry’s Milk Mustache”

•Labrador retriever

•February 22, 2004

•400 hour course at Philadelphia Police Academy

•U.S.P.C.A. Certified

•First dog to score 20/20

•Sponsored by PCOM !

related sciences

•Geology/Pedology

•Botany

•Entomology

•Geophysics

•Thermal Imagery

•Scavenging Patterns

•Photography(Aerial,Satellite)

geology-pedology

•Understanding areas that are conducive to burial.

– Soil composition

– High water tables

– Characteristics of the area

• Packed soil

• Run-off area

• Perma-frost or frost

botany (least reliable)

Vegetation (people try to cover up) in “wrong place”

• species of plant

  • growth rate

Entomology

• Insect Activity (like maggots)

  • Identify Areas of Trauma

  • Will contain DNA

  • May contain drugs associated with the subjects death

Species of Insects

• Specific to rotting flesh

Known breeding cycles at set temperature

•TOD determination

•Animal Activity (Mammalian)

Geophysics

• ground penetrating radar

• metal detection

side looking sonar

•Creates two dimensional pictures in real time.

•Over large search zones targets and structures can be identified for likelihood of body recovery.

•Smaller search zones can be seen quite clearly and specific targets be identified. 

thermal imagery

•Detection of temperature changes secondary to decomposition

scavenging patterns

• Rodent (knaw on bones)

  • Mice

  • Rat

  • Skunk

• Canine (can take pieces of bones far away)

  • Feral Dogs

  • Coyote

  • Fox

• Chordata

  • Bear

  • Raccoon

scavengers

• avian (can also take bones far away)

  • ravens

  • buzzards

  • raptors

    • hawk

    • eagle

photography/satellite

people have found missing cars through google earth

ground penetrating radar

high frequency radio to help direct pipes, cables, any metal which can help find weapons or hidden evidence under ground

King richard III

•AKA Richard the Lionheart

•Battle of Bosworth

•August 22, 1485

•32 years old

•Scoliosis, radial dysplasia

•Shakespeare formed modern image of Richard

•No descendants

they thought when he was killed, got thrown in river, he was royalty so scared people were gonna find out. later in year he was bury at a church which found at a parking lot, knew he was him through his scoliosis

Stages of decomposition (temperature sensitive)

• early

• fresh

• advance

• skeletonization

fresh

•The cadaver appears fresh externally but is decomposing internally from the activities of bacteria and any parasites present in body

just dies

early

•The cadaver is swollen by gas produced internally and has the odor of decaying flesh.

gasses let out

advanced

•The flesh is of creamy consistency, exposed tissue is black and the body collapses as gases escape.  The odor of decay is very strong.

skeletonization

The cadaver is almost dry decaying slows down.

mummification

•Fluid loss via evaporation

•Skin is hard, leathery, and sometimes forms a shell

dry, air environment (seen in houses with no air activity, insects cannot get in)

adipocere formation

•A variation of putrefaction

•Malodorous cheesy or soapy compound

•Most commonly found in bodies immersed in water or in damp warm environments

IT IS PRODUCED BY THE CONVERSION OF NUETRAL FATS DURING PUTREFACTION TO ACIDS

Handler should be

• patient

• calm

• analytical

• independent

• problem solver

• confident

selection of the canine team

• handler

• canine

Canine selection requirement; they should be:

• agile

• independent

• high play drive

• obedience trained

types of dogs

• labrador retriever

• german shepherd

• belgian malinois

canine should not be:

• Overly Aggressive

  • With humans or other animals

  • Canine must be able to work around other animals

Two training aids are:

• natural

• artificial

aquiring natural aids

•Medical Examiner’s Office

•Coroner’s Office

•Dentist

•Medical School

•Detectives

MEDICAL EXAMINER’S OFFICE SOMETIME PROVIDE FLUIDS

DENTAL OFFICE’S PROVIDE TEETH

*******MAKE MEDICAL SCHOOL A PART OF YOUR PROGRAM

BECOME A FORENSIC TEACHING INSTITUTE

USE THEIR NETWORK AND KNOWLEDGE

Train with blood also

• can help with crime scenes

  • expired tested blood can be obtained from blood banks

artificial aids

• sigma products (dogs wound hint but not exclusively)

amounts

•Always vary the amount of cadaver that is hidden.

•Combine cadaver aids.

•Do not use only large hides.

•Small hides and blood hides can help discover crime scenes.

buried

• gravel (under pits)

• dig hole 6” to 3”

• always dig at least two false holes

elevation

• hang cadaver (deceased body) from tree or fence at least three feet

• continue to hang cadaver up to eight feet

when they are looking around, this is to help them practice to not only look at the ground by also up

indication

•Indication can be passive or aggressive

•Determine your canine’s indication while introducing your canine to gravel or shallow hides.

training with barriers

• use the following barrier during training

  • plastic wrap

  • plastic trash bag

  • canvas

  • carpet

• for ex. things could be hidden in trash bags, which dogs need topractuce they things can be hidden anywhere even in things they see in daily basis becoming their norm

• Hide the barriers without the cadaver scent

• Do extinction exercises if canine indicates on barriers (just because it is a rotting animal, does not mean it is the right thing)

passive

• In old hides outdoors where there is vegetation growth, canine may indicate following growth pattern of the vegetation.

• Chlorosis is the process that vegetation around body will be greener

Aggressive

canine can:

• dig

• scratch

• bark

• indicate with any combination of above

rural/urban training

• all cadaver canines should to do rural as well as urban searches

Rural searches

• fields

• woods

search conditions

• cold

  • less odor

• warm

  • most ideal

  • between 60 to 70 degrees

  • ground is not as hard as frozen tundra

• hot

  • less production from canine and handler

proofing

• cadaver canines can be proofed off of human urine

• do extinction exercises with human urine

• spit? chew

red herrings

•Be aware that the following can cause a  canine to indicate:

–Soil pipes

–Septic pools

–Venting from septic pools

–Diapers

–Assorted personal/medical waste

other carcasses

•Train with dead carcasses in the area of your hides.  Use carcasses that are indigenous to your area.

– Deer

– Rabbit

– Squirrels

– Dogs

– Cats

– Anything that can die!

urban searches

•Building interiors and exteriors

•Occupied buildings

water

•Water searches were added in 2005

•Water training is a vital part of training a cadaver canine.

•Water training is addressed in its own presentation.

•USGS Resources – Math-o-Rama

marking

•Evidence flags

•Hunters tape

•Land marks

•GPS

•Soil probing*

*Always number piles of soil and document where soil was recovered.

crime scenes

• Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

• Crime scenes are not training areas.

• Do not bring unnecessary personnel into crime scene area.

• Do not bring other canines into crime scene to give them a positive find.

• Crime scene must be preserved.

(killers tend to come back to scene; mark and contain areas)

• Be prepared to look for evidence.

  • Bloody or soiled clothing

  • Weapons that are soiled, bloody, etc.

    • record what you are seeing

fire scenes/arson scenes

• Be aware of hazards associated with fire scenes

• Be aware that scent will pool where water has pooled or flowed.  This will sometimes cause canine to indicate away from body.

hazards

•New York 911

•Hurricane Katrina

•Disasters

equipment

•Vest/Harness

– Clearly identifies canine

– Patrol trained canines, equipment specific

– Floatation vest

Equipment:

•Leads various lengths

•Lights and reflectors

•Evidence Flags

•Canine booties

•First aid kits- human and canine

handler should have:

–Helmet

–Lights

–Gloves

–Proper clothing

–Change of clothes and footwear

Vehicle must be self contained to support team for extended searches.

– Water and food for handler and canine

– Decontamination

– Extra batteries for radio and assorted chargers

– Fuel source

– Shelter

• Warm and cooling

use of cadaver canine

•Suspicion

•Eliminate area

•Obvious foul play

•No hope left

•Time

•Reduce personnel needed

other agencies

•Police and other investigational units

•Crime Labs

•Bomb Squad

•Fire Department

•Aviation Unit

•Other Police Canine Units

•Search & Rescue Units

Remember some crime labs have never worked with k-9 so you may need to explain what:

You need

Are doing have found etc

Be sure search and rescue units are cadaver trained

some problems

•Deployments

•Agencies are unaware of the capabilities of a cadaver canine.

•When should a cadaver canine be utilized?

•How many canine teams should be utilized?

•Utilizing law enforcement canines with other canine organizations.

•Acquiring training aids!

•Keeping certifications current.

handler’s emotions

•Be prepared to see and hear family members plead with you to find their deceased family members.

•Handler should always be aware of those around them.

•Be prepared for Failure and Success.

•Use terms that are not offensive: 

–“Find Fred”

–“Find Elvis”

–Avoid using “Find the dead guy” or “Fetch the dead man”.