Memphis Police Association, I.U.P.A. Local #318 Member Sergeant Joshua Davis works closely with Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) K9 Glitch to prevent crimes against children.

Sergeant Davis has been with the Memphis Police Department for twenty-one years. He has been assigned to the Sex Crimes Bureau for nine years and has been a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force for the last three and a half. ESD K9 Glitch has been with the department for two years and has been with Sergeant Davis the entire time. 

Sergeant Davis was happy to answer some questions about their work together to spread the word about ESD K9s and what they can assist in accomplishing.

Question: Where did you find Glitch? What did his training entail?

Answer: I learned about Electronic Storage Detection K9s through different ICAC training classes and conferences. In June of 2022, I met Todd Jordan, ESD K9 trainer and owner of Jordan K9 Detection. Jordan is widely known as being on the forefront of ESD K9 training. We discussed the possibility of acquiring an ESD K9, and potential funding sources. Jordan put me in contact with Operation Underground Railroad (OUR), a global non-profit that fights against human trafficking and child exploitation. After all the red tape, OUR agreed to fully fund Glitch.

Glitch was fully trained before I received him. Todd Jordan trains all the K9s and even takes them on search warrants before they are distributed to their handlers. The handler training includes two weeks of classroom and hands-on training. It covered search techniques, deployment considerations, and K9 first aid (wound care, CPR, and Narcan administration). The training covered indoor, outdoor, vehicle, underground, and water searches.

Question: Is there ongoing training and what does that entail?

Answer: ESD K9s trained by Jordan K9 Detection work on a food reward system, where traditional police K9s (Narcotics, Bomb, etc.) use a toy reward. This means the only time these ESD K9s receive food is when they locate devices. This keeps them hyper-focused when it is time to search. A food reward system requires the handler and K9 to train at least twice a day, just to feed the K9. These feedings should constantly be changed regarding time of day, how many devices, and how much food is given to ensure the K9 dos not get complacent and only want to search during feeding time. All ESD K9s trained at Jordan K9 Detection also undergo three days of annual recertification. This allows the trainers to give advice and the handlers to address any concerns, while also making sure the K9 team meets the standards for certification.

Additional training that Glitch and I partake in is with our department’s narcotics K9s. They get together and train at least once a month. As often as I can, I join them. This allows for another handler or trainer to hide the devices and gives Glitch “blind finds” as opposed to me knowing where he should be looking and subconsciously guiding him to the devices.

Question: Can you share some details about your success together to prevent/fight crime?

Answer: All the cases Glitch has worked on are still ongoing, either in the investigative stage or in court, so I cannot share specifics. However, he has been very beneficial and is viewed as an asset. To date, Glitch has been requested and responded to 35 scenes, he has been deployed 28 times, and he has located 95 electronic storage devices. Not all those devices were of evidentiary value; however, items he has discovered have contained over 100 files of Child Sexual Assault Material (CSAM).

Question: Is there more information about how Glitch does what he does to identify smells?

Answer: During the production of memory chips, they are coated with various chemicals to prevent them from overheating, one being triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO). ESD K9’s are trained to alert on this chemical.

Question: Any additional details of note?

Answer: Glitch does not spend his entire day searching for electronics. Most of the time, he can be found roaming freely in the ICAC office, waiting for visitors. His mild-mannered behavior has captured the hearts of the entire department. Glitch’s personality has also earned him a spot during victim and witness interviews. His demeanor keeps individuals calm and helps them open up regarding crimes that are not easy to discuss.