The Norman Police Department has taken a tech-savvy leap forward with the induction of a new K9 team member, Murphy, with specialized skills in electronic storage detection. A first for the Oklahoma City metro, K9 Murphy, and her handler Detective Megan Kieft are setting the bar for innovative law enforcement tactics aimed at combating digital crime, as reported by the Norman Police Department.
According to a press release by the Norman Police Department, Murphy's acute sense allows her to sniff out a variety of digital devices that could elude human searchers, such as hidden cell phones, tablets, and USB drives. Under the direction of Detective Megan Kieft, during searches that might often be missed these devices, the duo are gearing up to take a bite out of cybercrime, with a focus on protecting children against online predators and exploitation.
As one of only six such K9s across Oklahoma, Murphy's keen nose is expected to significantly impact the effectiveness of the department's Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit. “This K9 not only strengthens our ability to investigate crimes but also embodies our commitment to supporting victims and their families,” Norman Police Department Chief of Police, Kevin Foster, affirmed in their press release.
The inception of this innovative program was funded by the National Computer Forensics Institute (NCFI) under the auspices of the United States Secret Service. Murphy's expertise was honed through a certification process at Jordan Detective K9, preparing her to join the ranks of law enforcement's tech-detecting elite, as per the Norman Police Department.
