Murphy came to her new profession and home from the Stratham Humane Society; she was approximately a year old when picked up for the crime of walking the streets and trying to play with children. She turned out to be a fantastic Accelerant Canine and family pet. Murphy served the State for eleven and half years and is enjoying retirement with the Southwells. Her only complaint in those eleven years of service had been the lack of table scraps.

Murphy’s replacement is a two-year-old Black Labrador named Jade. She was raised from a puppy with Murphy and the Southwell family. The canine team of Jade and Investigator John Southwell were also certified by Maine Specialty Dog / Maine State Police. They began service for the State Fire Marshal’s Office as a team on September 7, 2001.

If you have an opportunity to see Jade work, chances are you will hear her, too. Jade is very vocal; not only will she point to an area of interest, but she will bark at you to confirm it. Again, Jade’s off time is spent with family and friends.

Jade & Murphy

Jade

The handlers are provided with specially equipped vehicles for transporting and housing their canines. These vehicles are equipped with a custom made cage with built in water dish; the cage replaces the rear seat. In addition, each vehicle is equipped with a temperature monitoring device and an automatic fan with window roll down system.