Meet FDLE's police dogs who are responsible for finding explosives, electronics

Katie Kustura, The Daytona Beach News-Journal
·4 min read

A select group of officers in Florida don't understand the impact of their work.

And at the end of a shift, which may include finding explosive devices or electronics that contain illegal material, some of them just want to chase a tennis ball.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement is a statewide agency of about 1,900 members, some of whom work with K-9 members.

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Meet FDLE's K-9 officers:

Maple, an electronic storage sniffing labrador mix

Maple
Maple

Maple, who is retiring next month, began working with FDLE in the Pensacola area four years ago as the agency's first electronic storage detection canine, according to an FDLE news release. Even while undergoing chemotherapy after receiving a lymphoma diagnosis last September, Maple's work helped send multiple individuals to state and federal prison.

The labrador mix has been in remission since February.

Maple and her handler, Stephanie Cassidy, a special agent supervisor with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Maple and her handler, Stephanie Cassidy, a special agent supervisor with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

During her career, Maple was deployed to more than 100 scenes and took part in over 30 community demonstrations.

Maple will stay with her handler, Stephanie Cassidy, a special agent supervisor with FDLE, upon retiring.

Joze, an electronic storage sniffing German shorthaired pointer

Joze and her handler, Vannessa Carmona, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Joze and her handler, Vannessa Carmona, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Netherlands-born Joze, who is new on the job, works out of the Pensacola Regional Operations Center with Vannessa Carmona, an FDLE special agent.

On June 16, Joze received her electronic storage detection certification from Southern Coast K9 in New Smyrna Beach, and less than a week later, she assisted, for the first time, during a search warrant.

Hunter, an explosive-detecting mixed breed

Hunter and his handler, Getavius "Taye" Zachary, a Capitol Police officer.
Hunter and his handler, Getavius "Taye" Zachary, a Capitol Police officer.

Hunter, a Hungarian-born Belgian malinois and German shepherd mix, also is relatively new to the job.

Hunter, who works with Capitol Police Officer Getavius “Taye” Zachary, is responsible for searching the interior and exterior areas of state offices in the agency's jurisdiction, according to FDLE's news release.

The Belgian malinois and German shepherd mix has assisted other law enforcement agencies as needed.

Babs, an explosive-detecting yellow labrador retriever

Babs and her handler, Zane Dodds, a 25-year veteran with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Babs and her handler, Zane Dodds, a 25-year veteran with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Babs is one of two explosive-detecting dogs with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

She works out of the Miami office with 25-year agency veteran Zane Dodds, often on investigations into officer-involved shootings.

Baxter, an electronic-storage sniffing English labrador retriever

Baxter and his handler, Georgie Torres, an agent with Orlando Regional Operations Center Cybercrime Task Force.
Baxter and his handler, Georgie Torres, an agent with Orlando Regional Operations Center Cybercrime Task Force.

Baxter, who has worked for two years, is assigned to Georgie Torres, an officer with the Kissimmee Police Department and an agent on the Orlando Regional Operations Center Cybercrime Task Force

Baxter
Baxter

The lab has been deployed on more than 100 searches.

Cache, an electronics-detecting English labrador retriever

Cache and his handler, Justin Gilmer, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Cache and his handler, Justin Gilmer, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Cache works out of the Fort Myers Regional Operations Center with Justin Gilmer, an FDLE special agent.

Cache, who was trained in electronic detecting at the Indiana-based Jordan Detection K9, was donated to FDLE by Operation Underground Railroad, a national anti-sex trafficking nonprofit organization.

Gatsby, an explosive-detecting yellow labrador retriever

Gatsby and his handler, William Boyer, an officer with Capitol Police.
Gatsby and his handler, William Boyer, an officer with Capitol Police.

Gatsby, who works with Capitol Police Officer William Boyer, is responsible for searching vehicles and mail trucks entering underneath the Capitol, according to FDLE's news release.

Gatsby also is responsible for searching the interior and exterior areas of state offices in the agency's jurisdiction.

The yellow lab has assisted other law enforcement agencies as needed.

Layla, an electronic-storage sniffing American labrador retriever

Layla and her handler, Ritchie Kaplan, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Layla and her handler, Ritchie Kaplan, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Layla works out of FDLE’s Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center with Ritchie Kaplan, a special agent.

Like Cache, Layla was trained in electronic detecting at the Indiana-based Jordan Detection K9, and was donated to FDLE by Operation Underground Railroad

Laya, an explosives-detecting golden retriever

Laya and her handler, Travis Tharp, a Capitol Police officer.
Laya and her handler, Travis Tharp, a Capitol Police officer.

Laya, who was born in Colombia, works with Capitol Police Officer Travis Tharp.

The duo work together in Tallahassee to find explosive materials, firearms and ammunition and post-blast evidence, according to FDLE's news release.

Rocket, a career-changing labrador retriever

Rocket and his handler, Aida Limongi, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
Rocket and his handler, Aida Limongi, a special agent with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

Rocket joined FDLE in November 2021 after having worked as a service dog.

Rocket assists with search warrants, victim interviews and demonstrations and works out of FDLE's Tallahassee Regional Operations Center with Aida Limongi, a special agent, and the Cyber Crimes Squad.

Like Cache and Layla, Rocket was trained in electronic detecting at the Indiana-based Jordan Detection K9, and was donated to FDLE by Operation Underground Railroad.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Florida Department of Law Enforcement's police dogs find explosives and more