Investigation Tools

Dogs

Photo From - http://www.co.clark.nv.us/FIREDEPT/investigations.htm
Clark County Fire Department

Accelerant Detection Canine Program
Beginnings — Concept and Initiation

The idea of using dogs in fire investigations was originally conceived by Robert Noll, a Detective for the New York City Police Department Bomb Squad. He reasoned that if a dog could detect narcotics and explosives, perhaps it could also be trained to find flammable accelerants. He tested his theory on his personal dog and found his hypothesis to be sound.

Odor Lock

In the human being, the brain decreases or eliminates the stimulus of smell after about ten to fifteen minutes. Dogs have the ability to regenerate their olfactory sensory organs every few minutes, so they do not lose scents.

Direction Location

The dog brain is able to discern which nostril has the greatest concentration of odor, and therefore, determine the direction from which the odor emanates.

Odor Layering

When one first goes into the kitchen and someone is cooking chili, they can smell the chili. When the canine goes into the kitchen though, it can smell the hamburger, the beans, the tomatoes, the seasonings, etc. The dog can break the chili into individual layers.

Photo from ATF website.

Return to top