Canine expert joins Seattle arson team

Thursday, March 30, 2006

Canine expert joins Seattle arson team
Black Labrador has completed chemical detection course

Seattle's mayor, the fire chief, a federal agent and four television cameras crammed into an open bay of fire Station 10 Wednesday to check out the newest member of the Seattle Fire Department: a young black Labrador named Henny.

It was quite a lot of fanfare for a pooch, but Henny is expected to be a critical part of the Fire Department's arson investigation team.


		Paul Joseph Brown / P-I
	Henny, a black Labrador, walks with her handler, fire Lt. Stephen Baer, at department headquarters. She is trained to detect evidence of accelerants.

She and her handler, Lt. Stephen Baer, just returned from a six-week Accelerant Canine Detection Program, a training course offered by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in Front Royal, Va.

Henny and Baer are one of 76 arson-dog teams in the country, said Kelvin Crenshaw, special agent in charge of the bureau's Seattle field office. Three of those teams are in Washington state, in Seattle, Yakima and Burien.

The arson dogs are trained to detect evidence of accelerants at fires where arson is suspected and can save fire investigators hours of labor.

Henny started life as a trainee in a program for guide dogs, but flunked out, Fire Chief Gregory Dean said. The problem was her nose; she loved to use it. What got her drummed out of the guide-dog program made Henny a natural as an arson investigator.

"She has a natural ability to sniff and sniff and sniff," Dean said.

Henny briefly demonstrated her prowess Wednesday.

In the bay, he lined up 10 empty cans, about the size of paint cans. In two, he placed a drop of diluted gasoline. Walking with Henny, Baer touched each can, saying, "Seek," each time.

At the third can, the dog abruptly sat down. She had found the first drop of gas.

Baer gave her a treat from the pouch he wears on his belt, and they proceeded down the line. At the ninth can, Henny sat again, and again received a treat. She had found both tainted cans.

Afterward, it was time for doggie graft.

Fire Marshal John Nelson, who heads the fire investigation unit, gave Henny a blue vest with Seattle Fire Department patches stitched on. Stickers bearing the likeness of a black dog in a noble pose and the words "Arson K-9" were distributed.

Mayor Greg Nickels prepared a slice from a bone-shaped doggie cake.

"Welcome to Seattle," he quipped.

Henny dug in.

P-I reporter Hector Castro can be reached at 206-903-5396 or hectorcastro@seattlepi.com.

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