What is an electronic detection K-9? Here’s the scoop on Miramar’s new police dog

Hidden cell phones and hard drives can make or break criminal cases involving child exploitation.

Miramar now has a new tool to find them — a 2½-year-old Labrador retriever named Delila who can sniff out electronic devices concealed inside walls, furniture and false floors.

According to Miramar police, Delila is the only electronic detection dog working for a law enforcement agency in Broward County. She recently joined the department’s K-9 unit, which also includes two dogs trained for apprehension and explosives detection.

How K-9 finds devices

Delila is trained to detect triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO), a chemical compound used in the manufacturing of electronic devices such as cell phones, hard drives, memory cards and USB drives.

That ability allows her to locate electronics hidden inside walls, drawers, false floors, furniture or other concealed spaces — places investigators might not otherwise think to search.

Her handler, Det. Melinda Kimkowski, who is assigned to the department’s Special Victims Unit, said Delila has already proven herself in the field.

“Last week, she participated in her first assignment: the execution of a residential search warrant,” Kimkowski told the Miramar News. “Her role was to help locate electronic devices, including those that may have been hidden.”

Child exploitation cases

Miramar police say Delila’s abilities are especially valuable in internet crimes against children investigations, where digital evidence can be critical to building a case.

Suspects may attempt to hide or destroy devices that store illegal material, making a dog trained to detect TPPO a key part of search operations.

Delila’s training was sponsored by Our Rescue, a nonprofit organization that combats child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Kimkowski said Delila also provides emotional support to investigators who handle difficult child exploitation cases.

“Delila’s presence in the office makes such a positive difference for me and for everyone else she encounters,” Kimkowski said.

Delila’s story

Delila’s path to law enforcement started far from South Florida. As a puppy, she was trained in Indiana to be a service dog for people with disabilities. Trainers later determined her abilities made her better suited for scent-detection work with law enforcement.

She eventually began training with Todd Jordan, chief trainer at Jordan Detection K-9 in Indianapolis, a nationally recognized program that prepares dogs for electronic equipment detection work.

Even after completing formal training, the work doesn’t stop. Kimkowski said she and Delila train every day to maintain the dog’s accuracy and reliability.

Like many detection dogs, Delila is motivated by food.

“These canines are food-reward dogs, which means they are rewarded with kibble after they locate electronics,” Kimkowski said.

Labrador retrievers are often chosen for this type of work because of their temperament, motivation and love of food.

What Delila is like off duty

Delila, who was introduced on the department’s Facebook page, is already out in the streets of Miramar. But when she’s not working, she shows a very different personality.

“Outside of work, Delila is a loving, playful and protective dog,” Kimkowski said. “She follows me everywhere I go and almost always has a toy in her mouth, asking to play.”

For Kimkowski, now in her 16th year with the department, the partnership is a professional milestone and a personal honor.

“I feel so privileged to be her handler,” the detective said.

This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence and using our own originally reported, written and published content. It was reviewed and edited by our journalists.