PAULS VALLEY, Okla - The Oklahoma Department of Corrections has a growing family of narcotics and search dogs. But there is only one Riley!
This mixed breed rescue has a unique gift. Certified with the National Police Canine Association, Riley is trained to hit on 22 distinct odors emitted from cellphones. Canine Program Manager Richard Price said, ”As far as I know right now he’s the only cellphone detector in the state and one of very few in the country.”
Since 2011 – 49,733 cellphones have been confiscated from Oklahoma prisons. Riley is personally responsible for hundreds of seizures. Handler Jacob Cole said, “In the inmate wallet, they’ve been found there. We’ve found them anywhere from backpack full of cellphones, book safe, mattresses and pillows. Behind lockers. He can find them about anywhere.”
To demonstrate the effectiveness of this detector dog we stashed a variety of cellular phones. All shapes, sizes and styles. Riley found them all in less than 5 minutes. According to Price, “He doesn’t look at clock radios or TV’s or any other electronic devices, only cellphones. He’s a 100% cellphone detector dog.”
3 years now with the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Riley has earned a reputation among the inmates. Sgt. Cole said, “They are not a fan of it. Just like the narc dogs, they are not a fan of it. You go in there and working this dog and you look up and see an article about it. When you went through the door they know what you’re there for.”
One of the best weapons in the ODOC arsenal has 4 legs and fur.
