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Police Departments Are Training Dogs To Sniff Out Thumb Drives (cnet.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the modern-day-crimes dept.

A CNET report provides some insight on an elite K-9 search class that trains dogs to sniff out electronics, including phones, hard drives and microSD cards smaller than your thumb. From the report: Only one out of every 50 dogs tested qualifies to become an electronic storage detection, or ESD, dog, says Kerry Halligan, a K-9 instructor with the Connecticut State Police. That's because it's a lot harder to detect the telltale chemical in electronics than it is to sniff out narcotics, bombs, fire accelerants or people, she says. But Labrador retrievers like Harley, with their long snouts and big muzzles, can pick up even the faintest olfactory clues. These tech-seeking dogs are helping law enforcement find child pornography stashed in hidden hard drives, uncover concealed phones, nab white-collar evidence kept on hard drives and track calls stored on SIM cards. The most famous case occurred in 2015, when a Labrador retriever named Bear found a hidden flash drive containing child pornography in the home of former Subway spokesman Jared Fogle. The district attorney called the discovery vital to Fogle's conviction.

4 of 159 comments (clear)

  1. ...and track calls stored on SIM cards. by denzacar · · Score: 4, Funny

    These tech-seeking dogs are helping law enforcement find child pornography stashed in hidden hard drives, uncover concealed phones, nab white-collar evidence kept on hard drives and track calls stored on SIM cards.

    Track calls? That's SOME nose on them dogs.

    --
    Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens
    1. Re:...and track calls stored on SIM cards. by spiritgreywolf · · Score: 3, Funny

      Heck, it had me at "find child pornography stashed in hidden hard drives"! Wow! they have biologic quantum decrypting noses?

      Anyone that puts stuff (illegal OR personal) on a USB stick in anything other than an encrypted volume is an idiot. Someone grabs my USB keys and they get nothing but random data bits.

      --
      Never have a philosophy which supports a lack of courage
    2. Re:...and track calls stored on SIM cards. by TheInternetGuy · · Score: 3, Funny

      I mean you could just rely on precedence from the People Vs. O.J Simpson , and the inherent protection of the USB port.

      - Prosecutor sticks drive in USB port, fumbles, turns it over , fumbles some more...
      - Defense: Your Honor, members of the Jury, if the drive wont fit , you must acquit.

      --
      If my comment didn't sound as good in your head as it did in mine, then I guess we all know who's to blame
  2. Re:Marijuana dogs... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 3, Funny

    One of the sheriffs in Illinois is arguing that if the state legalizes pot all the police dogs will have to be put down.

    If Illinois legalizes pot, maybe they won't need so many sheriffs . . . and they will have to be put down.

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!