Alabama K-9 trained to find criminal electronic devices to help the fight against child predators

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - State prosecutors in Blount, Winston, and Marion Counties say they’re getting help prosecuting crimes against children with a dog trained to sniff out electronic devices that could have child pornography on them.

Rudy is an Electronic Storage Detection K-9, and prosecutors say he’s an important tool in sniffing out devices that could be as tiny as a fingernail.

The 3-year-old Labrador Retriever is trained to sniff out Triphenylphosphine oxide, or TPPO, a chemical sprayed on all electronics, big or small, to keep them from overheating.

“We could take a search into a house from two hours to 20 minutes,” says Rusty Hulsey, who serves as the chief investigator for Alabama’s 25th Judicial Circuit.

For the past year, Rudy has worked with Hulsey, whose judicial circuit includes Marion and Winston Counties. Rudy’s skillset, Hulsey says, is invaluable when it comes to protecting victims of child pornography.

“Even a small SD card, you can hold thousands of pictures and thousands of videos,” Hulsey said. “When we’re working these type cases we’re looking for that to further the prosecution and ultimately keep the victim from having to testify.”

Rudy and Hulsey have helped catch suspects accused of child sex crimes across the state. On Christmas Eve, they traveled to Blount county after a man threw away a device while running from law enforcement.

We were able to immediately move forward with production of child materials charges in that case, “ said Blount County District Attorney Pam Casey. ”I think that’s what’s so important about the advantage these dogs bring to the fight, our fight, to protect children in this state."

District Attorney Scott Slatton, who serves Alabama’s 25th Judicial Circuit, says the past year has shown him how valuable more dogs like Rudy could be across the state.

“We’ve seen a need in the past year for more dogs like this to be put into service,” Slatton said. “To have a tool like Rudy that can go find those things that can bring that solid evidence forward that’s always fulfilling to me to be able to assist in those cases.”

Rudy doesn’t just help with finding electronics. Hulsey and Slatton tell WBRC he also works as a therapy dog for witnesses, child victims, and sometimes even the prosecutors themselves.

Get news alerts in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store or subscribe to our email newsletter here.