K-9 Harrison and His Powerful Nose: Inside the World of ESD K-9s

Summary

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Episode Overview

Title: K-9 Harrison and His Powerful Nose: Inside the World of ESD K-9s
Host: Dr. Robin Ganzert
Guest: Doug Depel, Investigator & Handler of K-9 Harrison, Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office (NC)
Date: May 4, 2026

In this engaging episode of Robin’s Nest, Dr. Robin Ganzert spotlights K-9 Harrison, a pioneering electronic scent detection (ESD) dog, and his handler, Investigator Doug Depel. Together, they delve into Harrison’s extraordinary work uncovering hidden digital evidence in sensitive cases—most notably internet crimes against children. The conversation offers a heartfelt look into Harrison’s unique skills, the emotional challenges of frontline law enforcement, and the broader impact of therapy and ESD K-9s on communities and investigations.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction to Doug and K-9 Harrison

• Doug Depel’s Experience:

  • Fourteen years in Caldwell County Sheriff's Office; thirteen in investigations.
  • Emotional connection to his role and community.
  • (01:50) “I’m on my 14th year with them... everything has been focused on investigations.” — Doug

• Harrison’s Background:

  • Three-year-old American Lab.
  • Trained initially in PTSD and anxiety work before advanced ESD training.
  • Not an emotional support dog despite the ESD acronym; specializes in finding electronic storage devices.
  • (02:36) “Even though it says ESD dog, he’s not an emotional support dog. He’s an electronic storage device detection dog.” — Doug

2. The Work of an ESD K-9

• Why ESD Dogs Matter:

  • 90% of Harrison’s cases: Internet crimes against children.
  • Criminals hide digital evidence in extremely obscure places; Harrison can pinpoint devices even when thoroughly hidden.
  • (04:12) “You search, you search, you search... But then somebody taped a micro SD card up in the back of a bureau... But he can smell it, so he points us to where those are.” — Doug

• Impact of Missing Devices:

  • Missing one device could mean missing thousands of incriminating images and potential victims.
  • (05:07) “By potentially missing one... that’s potentially a thousand lives that we could change just by finding that one device.” — Doug

3. Life-Saving Moments and Recent Successes

• Notable Casework:
  • Harrison and Doug’s partnership began in March of the previous year; they are a relatively new team.
  • Found evidence in a case that led to a child being rescued alive.
  • Discovered a “go bag” for a known predator containing further evidence.
  • (05:51) “We had our first lives save... we found evidence and it led it back to a live child that was in the house.” — Doug
  • (06:26) “We found another go bag for a known predator... inside of it had cash and the passport and another storage device that he found.” — Doug

4. The Emotional and Therapeutic Value of K-9s

• Dual Role:

  • Harrison assists in therapy (for children and officers) and launches into work seamlessly.
  • When a traumatized child is found, Harrison can provide comfort before leaving the scene.
  • (08:07) “He can do PTSD and anxiety work... when we do find a child at one of these cases... we can start therapy before we leave.” — Doug

• Therapy for Everyone:

  • Harrison offers emotional support for both victims and department colleagues, sensing when people are anxious or upset.
  • (10:00) “We walk the entire office because you never know who’s having a bad day... but he can sense it.” — Doug

• Unique Traits:

  • Weighs 93 pounds and uses his weight like a “weighted blanket” to comfort people.
  • Raises body heat to help break cycles of trauma and anxiety.

5. Harrison’s Superpowers: Compassion, Dedication, and Education

• Superpowers:

  • Compassion, focus, urgency, and multi-tasking: therapy, scent detection, fostering public trust, and education.
  • (11:01) “He focuses in on his tasks so much... The bond that he has created between the public and our sheriff’s office is phenomenal. And then we teach Internet safety for kids.” — Doug

• Education Outreach:

  • Uses Harrison during school programs to teach kids about Internet safety and to make discussions about online dangers approachable.

6. ESD K-9s in Law Enforcement: Sparse but Growing

• Limited Presence:

  • As of March last year: only five ESD K-9s in NC; now twelve.
  • Only one ESD K-9, Harrison, on the entire west side of North Carolina.
  • (14:33) “There was only five in the state of North Carolina. We’re up to 12 right now...” — Doug
  • (14:56) “We’re the only dog on that side of the state.” — Doug

• National and Global Numbers:

  • When Harrison started, he was number 188 globally; now slightly over 200 ESD dogs worldwide.

• Advocacy:

  • Doug and Robin both champion the expansion of ESD programs for law enforcement, recognizing their unparalleled value in fighting child exploitation.

7. Commands and Work Routine

• Work Command Sequence:
  • Harrison associates working with the removal of his vest (counterintuitive to many other working dogs).
  • Trigger command for work: “Let’s go to work,” followed by “seek.”
  • Eats only by hand-feeding after finding evidence, reinforcing his work drive.
  • (13:22) “I just tell him, come on, buddy, let’s go to work. And I tell him to seek. And when I tell him to seek, it’s hyper focused.” — Doug

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the scale of change:

  • (05:07) “That’s potentially a thousand lives that we could change just by finding that one device.” — Doug

• On Harrison’s multipurpose value:

  • (08:07) “Not only can he find the bad guy’s evidence, he can also be there, particularly if they find a child, to be that love as a therapy dog... For law enforcement, too.” — Robin

• On the rarity and importance of ESD K-9s:

  • (14:26) “There are very few. So when we started in March of last year, there was only five in the state of North Carolina. We’re up to 12 right now...” — Doug

• On community recognition:

  • (16:59) “The outpouring of love for him on his Facebook page and people just coming up to the street... since we’ve been part of [American] Humane is just... It’s phenomenal.” — Doug

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Timeline of Segments (Timestamps)

• [00:00–02:09] — Introduction and background on Doug and K-9 Harrison.
• [02:09–03:13] — Harrison's training and what an ESD dog does.
• [03:13–05:26] — Breakdown of Harrison’s main tasks and impact of digital evidence in child crimes.
• [05:26–07:39] — Discussion of specific cases, first rescue of a live child, and career motivators.
• [07:39–08:38] — Home life, therapy role, and dual benefits to victims and law enforcement.
• [08:38–10:25] — Therapy techniques: weighted comfort; emotional support for the department.
• [10:25–12:19] — Harrison's superpowers, educational outreach, and working commands.
• [12:19–14:26] — How K-9 Harrison knows it’s time to work; rare nature of ESD dogs.
• [14:26–15:39] — Growth of the ESD dog program in NC and globally.
• [15:39–17:53] — Importance to community, advocacy for more K-9s; what it means to be a “hero dog.”

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Final Takeaways

• K-9 Harrison exemplifies the modern hero dog: adept at both sniffing out hidden digital evidence in the fight against child exploitation and providing vital emotional support to both victims and officers.
• Despite the crucial need, there are only a handful of ESD K-9s in the U.S. and globally; Doug and Robin passionately advocate for greater adoption.
• Harrison's story is a powerful reminder of how animals and humans working in deep partnership can create tangible change—and save lives—on the frontlines of law enforcement, one wagging tail at a time.

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Transcript

[A]

Get ready for a thrilling episode of Robin's Nest where we introduce you to a remarkable young K9 who represents the future of law enforcement. Meet Harrison, Caldwell County's first electronic scent detection dog. With a powerful nose trained to locate hidden digital evidence, Harrison is helping investigators like his handler, Doug Depel, uncover the truth in some of the most sensitive and complex cases imaginable. Harrison is this year's American Humane Society's law enforcement dog finalist, and we can't wait for you to hear his story. Welcome to Robin's Nest. Many of us feel a deep bond with animals, from the pets we cherish at home to the endangered species in nature. Join us for lively, informative conversations where together we will build a more humane world. I have Harrison in the house. Our winning law enforcement hero dog of the year. Harrison is an amazing, amazing dog. I can't wait for you to hear his story. But I'm also here with his handler, Doug. And Doug, you know, I want to thank you for what you do serving your community. Caldwell County, North Carolina is safer because you are there. And I also noticed your bracelet here where it says, pray for the police. And Doug, I want you to know my entire family prays for the police every single day.

[B]

No, we appreciate that. We do. This was actually given to me by a good friend that retired out, that's a captain. He's actually living in South Carolina right now. But yeah, we met up last Saturday and he gave that to me because it's just something he does and something he. Like I said, being retired and what we do, we all kind of huddle together that way.

[A]

It's very important. And what you've done, how long have you served with Caldwell County Sheriff's office?

[B]

So for Caldwell County, I'm going on my 14th year, actually. Well, it was my 14th year yesterday. Happy anniversary. Yes. So I'm on my 14th year with them, with Caldwell. I've been an investigator 13 out of the 14 years, so my time on the road was short. So everything has been focused on investigations.

[A]

That's incredible. And I want to hear about the type of investigations you do. But first of all, would you be so kind to introduce this very handsome boy in the house, Harrison, and share a little bit about his story because he is gorgeous and I love the fact he says, I'm friendly, Please pet me, which I'm sure everybody does, because how good you. Not when you see this gorgeous creature, but share a little bit about Harrison.

[B]

So Harrison is a three year old American lab. He was trained actually right down here in Florida, originally as a puppy by Dogs, Inc. So he learned PTSD and anxiety work. Yes. And then from there, the nice fellows there realized he had more potential, and he went to Jordan Detection up in Indianapolis, where he learned the electronics part. And that's what makes Harrison special. Even though it says ESD dog, he's not an emotional support dog. He's a electronic storage device detection dog.

[A]

So we find electronic storage or scent detection dog.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Okay. Wow. Wow. So tell us what that means.

[B]

Okay, so Harrison, his. His main goal were 90. About 90% of our cases are all Internet crimes against children because those people unfortunately, like to keep souvenirs, so pictures, videos, that type of stuff, and they have to store it on these devices. The other 10% have been homicide cases, which is one of the reasons why we're here. But with these devices, they've gotten so small now, and the way that you can hide them. It's very hard for an investigation to find. Being an investigator and having searching, you try your hardest. I mean, you really do. You search, you search, you search. You think you have everything. But then somebody taped a micro SD card up in the back of a bureau that unless you tore the whole house apart, you'd never find it. But he can smell it, so he points us to where those are at.

[A]

Oh, my God. And. And so what you're saying is that I think this. I think I need to go back and watch some of my crime detection shows. So basically what he is doing is finding evidence of crimes against precious children.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Who have been trafficked and abused. And those evidence is in electronic devices.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Oh, my God.

[B]

So that's. That. That's our biggest. Our biggest project or goals is because even the. The smallest micro SD card now can hold thousands upon thousands of images. So by potentially missing one, and I hate to say missing, because we do our best, honestly, all officers do. But with him finding that, that's potentially a thousand lives that we could change just by finding that one device.

[A]

A thousand kids that you can save from additional abuse and trafficking. And you can put the bad guys

[B]

away, bad guys away, because they can't. Especially when it's hidden like that. You can't say that you didn't know it was there. That's purposely hidden for a reason.

[A]

Yes. Yes.

[B]

So when it comes time to court, it makes it a whole lot easier to prosecute.

[A]

Well, Doug, you've seen a lot. You've seen an awful lot of horrific things then in your career as an investigator.

[B]

Yep. We have the biggest things for us, obviously, is Winning American Humane category this year. Yes, but we actually, Harrison and I joined as a team together in March of last year, so we're relatively new.

[A]

Oh, I love that.

[B]

But we. The past year, like I said, modest. Winning the American Humane. We had our first lives save. So one of our searches that we did, we found evidence, and it led it back to a live child that was in the house. So we got that child out and was able to rescue that child. And then we found, of course, the case to bring us here. But then we found another go bag for a known predator. And inside of it had cash and the passport and another storage device that he found. So it was a big year for us.

[A]

Wow. Wow, wow, wow. That just gives me goosebumps. It just. I'm so grateful for you and what you do. And I'm really glad that Harrison's by your side, allowing these fines to happen to get rid of the worst of the worst of people. The people that commit these kinds of crimes are just. They shouldn't mean it just. Don't even get me started. When you hurt a child or when you hurt an animal, people are atrocious. There's not enough words to express what you see. And you and Harrison committed your lives to putting those bad guys away.

[B]

Yeah. So that's actually my story as well, is I was actually over road department, and then they asked me to assist because I ran equipment and I helped the police department there search for Zara Baker, which was a young girl in North Carolina. We searched for her for two weeks. And then I changed careers at age 43. And then this year, by the grace of God, I got approved by our rescue. I got Harrison. And we can keep giving back to the kids, because it's all about the kids.

[A]

It is all about the kids. I believe that, too, Doug. I believe that, too. And look how many you're going to save. And you've already saved.

[B]

We're hoping.

[A]

Yes, yes. It's tough work. So when you go home at night, he goes home with you.

[B]

Harrison goes everywhere I go, and he

[A]

takes off that vest and he play like a regular dog.

[B]

If I took. Well, if I took this vest off, we probably wouldn't have any of this equipment still in place. I hate to say it, but your hair and makeup would be destroyed.

[A]

Oh, I think I'd get some kisses. I'd get some love.

[B]

I know he's kind of not liking the vest right now. Cause he's gotta be on his good behavior, but, yeah, he's. And that was the other thing like when I explained it to my sheriff, what he did, because there's so few of them, the fact that he can do PTSD and anxiety work is when we do find a child at one of these cases, or, you know, if it's a domestic case, because we work those two, we can start therapy before we leave. That's exactly right, because everybody loves to bond animals.

[A]

Yes. Yes.

[B]

And he's. His ears are like velvet. He's the sweetest thing. He'll kiss you to death. But it just breaks that trauma for that little bit of time. So it helps out so much. And he helps us calm down, too.

[A]

For you, too. I was going to say, not only just for the victims, but also for you, who is. You know, and your colleagues in the sheriff's department. For you to have him after a big find and seeing what you see and what you face every day, how hard that is, emotionally speaking, spiritually, and. You got him.

[B]

We got him.

[A]

How much does he weigh?

[B]

Harrison's a little bit big right now. We're like, on, dad. We're on a slim fast diet here.

[A]

No, no, no.

[B]

But Harrison's £93.

[A]

£93 of love here. I was gonna say there's a lot of loving going on with this great baby right here.

[B]

There is. And that's the one thing with him, is he will use his weight as part of his therapy. So just like your weighted blankets that everybody. They recommend now, he actually puts his weight on you?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

If you're. If he knows you're anxious, he'll lay on you, or he'll lay across your legs, and then the weight starts, but then you have to kind of feel. Feel around a little bit. He's. He's kind of cool, but it. It's something odd about him. He. He starts radiating a lot of heat.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Because it's another form of therapy, is what I've learned. So not only do you have the weight of him, you have got the heat to help break that. That mental circle that's going on in your head when you're having trauma. But we. We make it a point. Every morning, we walk the entire office because you never know who's having a bad day, either at work or off work.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So. But he can sense it. So I let him do his thing, and we visit everybody in the office every morning.

[A]

It's beautiful. It's beautiful. What's his superpower, Doug?

[B]

He's. He's actually got many. But the way. To me, it's his compassion, his giving, and his urgency to Know that what we're doing is so, so critical. Because when we get to a crime scene, he could be like this the whole ride up there. And then as soon as I get him there and I tell him, come on buddy, let's go, it's time to work. He's pushing his way out of the door. I can't control him to keep him in the truck.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And he's just ready to go. You wouldn't know it now obviously, but he is, he's just, he, he focuses in on his tasks so much. I say I actually have four Harrisons because we've got, you know, the compassion Harrison with the PTSD and anxiety work. We've got the, the electronic scent detection. The bond that he has created between the public and our sheriff's office is phenomenal. And then we teach Internet safety for kids. So like in our kids camp and at the schools, I use him to break the ice for the kids to come up and we start actually teaching them about being safe online and what sites to watch out for. So although you asked me for what is his superpower? He has so many, it's kind of hard to pick one.

[A]

Well, he's just a, he's a, he's a super dog is wide, that's for sure. When you take him out on a case, is there a command that says that you want him to start sniffing and searching? Because like right now we have a lot of electronics as we're, as we're filming Robin's Nest. He doesn't seem at all interested. We're kind of a little boring over here right now. But what is the commands that you use and maybe you have to spell them? I don't know.

[B]

No, we'll say him. In worst case, he'll jump up on my shoulders, but will go into the, into a crime scene or pull up to the driveway and actually his trigger is to take the vest off. So I actually take the vest off when I have his vest on. For Harrison, a lot of dogs put it on. To know he's working his vest idea is to do what he's doing right now, remaining calm. He's very calm, Very calm, very chill for a three year old lad, especially £90. But I'll take the vest off of him and he knows something's up, dad. He can sense my urgency by my voice. And then I'll look at him. I basically look at him straight in the eyes and I just tell him, come on buddy, let's go to work. And he looks at me, he watches Me to put the food pouch on my back because he's a food driven lab, like all dogs mostly. But I'll put the pouch on. I put a little towel in my pocket because the only way he eats is by me feeding him by my hand.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So you know, salmon and dog slobber, you gotta wipe it off somewhere. So we put the. Yes, we put the towel on. And then I just tell him, come on, buddy, let's go to work. And I tell him to seek. And when I tell him to seek, it's hyper focused. He's on.

[A]

Wow. Wow. And that's when he knows what to do. Amazing. Amazing.

[B]

Yeah, he's just relaxed now. He knows that. You know, we've only met a few times, but I. I can tell even as the dog's presence or an animal presence, they know people.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So he knows he's safe here.

[A]

Yes, he does. Well, this is the American Humane Sanctuary and it's Robin's Nest. You don't get any safer for an animal, that's for sure.

[B]

Nope.

[A]

I just wanted to say this, you know, this. This guy is so handsome, so wonderful, and I can't believe he's so calm with all the labs I've been around. This is amazing to see this for sure. You know, I understand, though, there's very few electronic scent detection dogs out there in police departments. Is that true?

[B]

Yes, there are very few. So when we started in March of last year, There was only five in the state of North Carolina.

[A]

Only five in North Carolina.

[B]

We're up to 12 right now, but Harrison and I are on the furthest side. So we, we basically cover from the area of just above north to Charlotte. There's a road. 321 is the interstate. So from 321 all the way to the Tennessee line.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

We're the only dog on that side of the state.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

So, yeah, that's huge.

[A]

I used to live in Winston Salem, so I've driven all of those roads through there. Okay, I know.

[B]

So you know a lot. It's a lot. We actually have traveled numerous times to Winston Salem to help out the Invictus project over there. They've called and we went there.

[A]

Thank you for that.

[B]

So he was one of five when we first got him. One of 12. Now his number for us is 188, because when I got him in March of last year, he was 188 in the globe. So I spoke to Chaz yesterday. Chaz is here from our rescue, who's over the K9 program and he said, currently we're up to a little over 200 globally.

[A]

Wow. Wow.

[B]

But this will be. To me, this has opened so many doors because we get to speak about what they do and how important they are and the cases that they can do and trying to get more agencies to adopt an ESD program, I think

[A]

an ESD program, when you look at the issues facing that evidence. Right. And. And how we say that this is a huge issue. When you talk about child trafficking, this is a huge issue. And the front lines are now four legs and a wagging tail. And this superpower of this dog is not only can he find the bad guy's evidence, he can also be there, particularly if they find a child to be that love as a therapy dog. And of course, with all the men and women on the front lines fighting to find the bad guys, he's a therapy dog for them as well. I'm so proud to know you and I'm so proud that we're able to share the story of electronic scent detection dogs and hopefully promote this area, this category. Because for law enforcement, I think when you think about dogs and you think about their power of scent and their power to save lives. You've got a great story here. What does it mean to be a hero dog?

[B]

It means. It means the world to us, obviously, because this is, you know, you've been to Winston Salem, you've been to North Carolina. We, you know, we're of a smaller area, a little bit more on the remote side. So this is an opportunity once in a lifetime, honestly. The outpouring of love for him on his Facebook page and people just coming up to the street and the doors that have opened for being here now since we've been part of humane is just. It's phenomenal. There's no words to describe everything.

[A]

Well, big shout out to everyone in Caldwell County Sheriff's Office. Thank you so much for letting. Letting Doug and Harrison share their story. I mean, guess how many lives you're going to change now by being a hero dog and allowing us to share this most important story of heroes on both ends of the leash. Truly, congratulations and thank you so very much.

[B]

Thank you so much, Dr. Ganzer. And happy 15th.

[A]

15 years. 15 years of doing hero dogs. 15 years of law enforcement dogs doom. And this one's very special because he saves kiddos and we all want to do that. Thank you so much.

[B]

Thank you.

[A]

Thank you for tuning in to Robin's Nest. We want to hear what you think. Please make sure to review the podcast on your podcast platform. Watch for upcoming episodes that will include new and exciting discussions. If you love animals, you'll love this season of Robin's Nest. Sa.