PHOENIX — Murphy is almost two years old, but in his young age this black lab has already been through intense training.
"We get them between 12 and 14 months and then ATF will take them. It's called imprinting where they learn to smell the various odors of the explosives,” said ATF Special Agent Canine Handler Andy Badowski.
Murphy uses his nose as the newest tool to add to the Phoenix Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
"We reward him with food. And so he likes to search out the explosives because like most Labs, he likes to eat,” said ATF Special Agent Canine Handler Andy Badowski.
Murphy is the bureau’s new S.E.E.K. dog which stands for Search Enhanced Evidence K-9.
You'll notice as Murphy runs through drills, he sits to show he's found an explosive. The goal is to put less special agents and officers in danger.
"I can be 100 yards away from him while he's searching for explosives. So if he does find something, then the bomb squad can get involved and it puts less people in danger of being closer to the explosives,” said Badowski.
Murphy can demonstrate all the tools he's learned, including how he could help if a school were on lock down, or a threat is reported.
“If all the kids leave their backpacks in the classroom, I can open up the classroom door and he goes into the classroom and looks for things,” said Badowski.
He can also search cars, and Murphy's extra training means he can also help if officers are looking for a gun a suspect has tossed.
"Murphy can go and help, try to find the gun that's thrown wherever it could be. You can also find shell casings with just that little bit of powder in there. it's more difficult than if it was say a pipe bomb that had a pound or two of powder in it. but the training that he receives, he can go and he can locate those items,” said Badowski.
Next year Murphy is being called to football's biggest stage for his largest assignment yet. His handler and Murphy will be working during Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans in February.
Thirty seven canine teams have graduated from the S.E.E.K. program since 2021.
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