Billions of dollars worth of property as well as hundreds of lives are lost each year as a result of arson. The Wichita Fire Department's Arson Unit is committed to pursuing arsonists with every resource at their disposal. One such resource is a specially trained black Labrador Retriever named Jodi.
Jodi is a five-year-old black labrador retriever, who is assigned to the Wichita Fire Department Investigation Unit. Captain Brad Crisp, Arson Investigator, is her trainer. Jodie was trained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearm and Explosive Unit (BATF) in the food reward methodology. She is one of only 50 certified BATF accelerant detecting K-9's in the United States.
Jodie's work involves detecting trace amounts of ignitable liquids used to set and/or accelerate a fire. She is certified on numerous ignitable liquids and has been used at approximately 170 fires since she first came to the Fire Department in 2001. The dollar loss sustained in fire scenes that Jodie has worked exceeds $20,000,000. There has also been 24 felony arrest as a result of her work.
Jodie's work is not confined to only the City of Wichita. She has traveled throughout the State to assist other Fire and Law enforcement agencies. For example, a fatality fire scene in Butler County was several days old and exposed to the ever-changing Kansas weather. Jodie was able to find evidence that an ignitable liquid was used to set the fire. Bolstering the evidence against a suspect who was later arrested, charged and subsequently plead to a first-degree murder.
In addition to working fire scenes, Jodie is involved with public relations such as safety demonstrations for school children and other civic groups. Her love for food is second only to her love for children. She is always eager to greet the children as they leave her programs, allowing each child to pet and scratch her as though she were their own pet.
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