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Dogs turn noses toward arson investigations
By Greg Cima
gcima@pantagraph.com
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NORMAL — Pal sniffs the black spiral stairs as Jay Crippen walks ahead and says, “Show me, good boy.”

After taking a few steps down, the golden retriever-Labrador retriever mix stops and sits. His master can’t see it, but there is a trace of fuel below the dog’s nose.

Pal and Crippen are an arson investigation team from the Carbondale Fire Department. And they are among 20 teams in Normal this week for a three-day recertification program using Walker Hall, an empty Illinois State University dormitory slated for demolition this summer.

Arson investigation dogs and their handlers have to be recertified annually to Maine Criminal Justice Academy standards, according to the state fire marshal’s office.

The fuel used during Wednesday’s demonstration was gasoline evaporated to half of its original volume, said Tommy Bychowski, an investigator and dog handler for the Illinois state fire marshal’s office. The partly evaporated substance helps the dogs identify traces of gasoline and mimics common accelerants such as lighter fluid and camping fuel, he said.

Bychowski and Zee, a 7-year-old yellow Labrador, check out fires in Central Illinois, including the Bloomington, Peoria and Springfield areas, he said.

Other investigative teams in the program are from elsewhere in Illinois, six other states and British Columbia, Canada.

Labradors are chosen by investigators for their friendly disposition and willingness to work in hot and cold conditions, Bychowski said.

Gerald Farina, special investigation unit claims section manager for State Farm Insurance Cos., said arson has been a problem for insurers as long as the insurance industry has existed.

He said this week’s training, which is sponsored by his company, shows the relationship between private industry and public servants.

Farina acknowledged the training also helps State Farm and its policyholders, and he said insurance fraud adds to the cost of insurance for honest clients. And he said the dogs are incredible for their sense of smell and ability to find traces of accelerants.

Farina’s division investigates suspicious claims and helps the company decide whether to pay or fight such claims. But it is up to authorities such as fire marshal’s inspectors to catch arsonists, he said.

State Rep. Dan Brady, R-Bloomington, watched as the dogs and handlers entered empty dorm rooms and the dogs searched out the traces of fuel. He said he wanted to see how state and federal money is being spent, and he was impressed by how powerful and accurate the dogs’ noses are.

Brady said the dogs weren’t used when he was the McLean County coroner in the 1990s. Arson investigators primarily submitted samples to chemists when they suspected an accelerant was used.

Shane Arndt, also a state fire marshal investigator, said he and Sherlock investigate more than 70 fires yearly. He walked the dog into dorm rooms, each containing a mattress, a few chairs and at least one spot of the training fuel.

Sherlock’s tail wagged as he sniffed a closet and along a wall in one room. Less than 10 seconds after entering the room, the dog stopped, dug at the tile for a second and lay down where the closet met the wall.

Arndt praised the dog for finding the fuel, and the pair moved on to another room.

The arson dog testing is the latest in a series of exercises using Walker Hall. Police, fire and other agencies have been running a variety of training simulations last month and this month.

Take a look
Shane Arndt and his arson dog, Sherlock, of the Illinois State Fire Marshall's office, search a former dorm room for accelerant at Walker Hall Wednesday. The serach was part of the Midwest Arson Dog Re-certification program. State Farm Insurance Cos. is a major sponsor of the nationwide program. (The Pantagraph, David Proeber)
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Reader comments on this story - 3 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

so what wrote on Jun 5, 2008 12:35 PM:

" There are good and bad uses for everything. "

weathergirl wrote on Jun 5, 2008 8:21 AM:

" To who cares:

well said. I completely agree. "

who cares wrote on Jun 5, 2008 7:35 AM:

" that's a good use for dogs on the job.when they use them for a weapon that disturbs me. "
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