When Northwest Indiana fire investigators want to determine whether a fire was intentionally set, they’ll have an adorable weapon on their side: Sophie, a black, 2 1/2-year-old English Labrador retriever
K9 Sophie, who joined the ranks of Crown Point Fire Rescue on May 2, is the first arson dog in Crown Point Fire Rescue history and the only active accelerant detection canine in Northwest Indiana, according to a City of Crown Point release.
Sophie and her handler, Fire Investigator Todd Bennett, have already investigated fires in Northwest Indiana.
Bennett and Sophie showed off their skills Thursday during an Arson Awareness Week demonstration for city leadership and local State Farm representatives.
“In Crown Point, we put a paramount on public safety. Our public safety officials do a fantastic job protecting and serving our community — this just adds to it,” Crown Point Mayor Pete Land said during the event. “This is a regional tool. Arson detection dogs are rare, not only will K-9 Sophie and Fire Investigator Bennett help the citizens of Crown Point, but we can assist the Region. I can’t thank State Farm enough, you guys do a fantastic job. This is such a great program.”
Sophie didn’t start out on a track to sniff out evidence at fire scenes. She was raised by Southeastern Guide Dogs in Palmetto, Florida, to be a guide dog for the blind, but her strong work drive did not make her a good guide dog, according to the release.
In April, Bennett and Sophie underwent four weeks of training in Maine, where they were the only Indiana graduates of Class No. 55 of the State Farm Arson Dog Program. Sophie was funded through a $25,000 grant from State Farm, along with contributions from local businesses, which helped pay for the pair’s training, travel expenses, food and lodging.
– Original Credit: Photo courtesy of City of Crown Point
“I have been investigating fires since 2014,” Firefighter/Paramedic Bennett said in the release. “I became a firefighter to help others in need and working with K-9 Sophie takes that mission to a new level. While our work is fire-related, we will be able to see both sides of the call. In addition to putting out fires, we can also help catch those responsible for intentionally setting fires. It’s a win-win.”
Bennett joined Crown Point Fire Rescue in February 2017 after he previously served with the Mill Township Fire Department in Marion.
Sophie joins K9 search-and-rescue dog Jake at Crown Point Fire Rescue. Jake, 11, has helped locate and assist stranded and endangered people in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian in 2022 and the collapse of an 12-story condo building in Surfside, Florida in June 2021, as well as Hurricane Delta in 2020, Hurricane Dorian in 2019, Hurricane Florence in 2018 and Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
Since 2019, Crown Point Fire Rescue has responded to 204 structure fires, averaging around 50 per year in Crown Point.
“We are proud of Firefighter Bennett for seeking out this program and undergoing rigorous training,” Crown Point Fire Chief Mark Baumgardner Jr. said. “Sophie is a great addition to our Crown Point Fire Rescue family. We are excited to expand our skills and add another resource to our toolbox we can use to keep the Crown Point community safe.”
Bennett and K-9 Sophie one of 87 active and certified teams in North America trained through the State Farm Arson Dog Program.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), municipal fire departments in the United States responded to an annual average of 52,260 intentionally set structure fires from 2014-2018. The fires caused an estimated 400 civilian deaths, 950 civilian injuries and $815 million in direct property damage each year, according to a 2021 NFPA report.
For more information about the Arson Dog Program visit www.arsondog.org
