Madeleine McCann. Sniffer dogs brought in to help with scrubland dig.

[John]

By way of clarification.

Forum rules require that information is corroborated where possible.  Martin Grime confirmed in his report to the Portuguese prior to the dog deployments that EVRD Eddie received additional training in association with the FBI in the USA using human cadavers.  I have had this information verbally confirmed to me more recently.  Unless anyone can provide proof to the contrary this information stands as corroborated.

[Eleanor]

By way of clarification.

Forum rules require that information is corroborated where possible.  Martin Grime confirmed in his report to the Portuguese prior to the dog deployments that EVRD Eddie received additional training in association with the FBI in the USA using human cadavers.  I have had this information verbally confirmed to me more recently.  Unless anyone can provide proof to the contrary this information stands as corroborated.

When and how was this achieved?

[ferryman]

When and how was this achieved?

Two foi questions and answers:

Dear [name deleted],

With regard to your request in relation to:

"1. Can you confirm that the cadaver dog "Eddie", formerly a police dog under
dog handler and dog instructor Martin Grime, now retired from your force, was
sent to America to be trained on human cadavers and be upgraded to "enhanced"
victim recovery dog?

2. Can you confirm that South Yorkshire Police uses, or has used, an American
device for trapping scents, a "Scent Transfer Unit" or "STU100" in the
training of its cadaver dogs?"

RESPONSE

1. South Yorkshire Police holds information which would tend to confirm this part of your request. This information is contained within the anual Personal Development Review of retired PC GRIME for the year 2005/2006 and states at various points,

"(PC GRIMES) has deployed police dog 'Eddie' to train on human remains in the US. This training has been valuable as it is not possible to utilise human remains in the UK. A full report from the F.B.I. to document his training and operational deployments whilst in America remains pending"

"Deployments have been on a national scale and a recent visit to the F.B.I. in America has created some income generation potential in terms of training."

"Complete sponsored visit to FBI to educate on C.S.I. Dog capabilities - Achieved"

2. From enquiries I have made it would appear that South Yorkshire Police have not deployed or used a device known as a 'Scent Transfer Unit' or 'STU100' within Force either operationally or for evaluation. However the Force does hold information that would indicate that Mr GRIME, whilst serving with this Force IN 2006, did utilise such a device whilst engageD in another Force area. A section of a statement apparently made but not signed by Mr GRIME reads: -

" I developed the training of the E.V.R.D. to include the screening of scent pads taken from motor vehicles by a ST 100 Scent Tranference Unit.

The unit is designed in a two main-part design. The main body is a battery operated electrical device that draws air in at to the front and exhausts through the rear. Ther is no 're-circulation' of air within the unit. The second main part is a 'grilled' hood that fits to the main body. A sterile gauze pad is fitted into the hood. When operated the ST 100 draws air through the hood and the sterile gauze pad and exhausts through ports to the rear. 'Scent' is trapped in the gauze, which may then be stored for use within scent discrimination exercises.

The ST 100 unit is cleaned following use in such a manner that no residual scent is apparent. This is checked by control measures where the dog is allowed to search a given area where the S100 is secreted. Any response by the dog would suggest contamination. Tests have shown that the decontamination procedures are effective in this case with the dog NOT alerting to the device when completed.

Use of the ST100 is recommended when subject vehicles, property, clothing, premises are to be forensically protected from contamination by the dog, and for covert deployment. At all other times best practice would be for the dog to be given direct access.

Operational use of the STU 100 is in a developmental stage"

If you are unhappy with the way your request for information has been handled, you can request a review by following the advice contained in the separate notice attached to this correspondence:

If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint, you have a right to appeal to the Information Commissioner at:
The Information Commissioner's Office,
Wycliffe House,
Water Lane,
Wilmslow,
Cheshire, SK9 5AF.
Telephone: 08456 306060 or 01625 545745
Website: www.ico.gov.uk
There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours sincerely


The follow-up quetion:


Freedom of Information Request - Reference No:20110231

REQUEST

Following a response to request 20110186]

Can I ask, did that FBI report described as 'pending' turn up?


RESPONSE


SYP did not receive a report, therefore there is `no information held'.

[Eleanor]

Thank You.

[ferryman]

The other point I always found intriguing is this, from the first FOI answer:

Deployments have been on a national scale

Is that supposed to mean that dogs from all over the country went?

If so, why do we only hear about Eddie?

[ferryman]

I've just gone back and read the whole of this thread.

Glad I did.

Some interesting reading ...

[pegasus]

IMO thanks heavens the NPIA expert in 2007 made the recommendation to bring in an EVRD.

[Gadfly]

Very interesting reading on this forum -- informative, but a lot of entrenched views from self-proclaimed experts, whose reasoning skills seem to be entirely inductive.

Having read through the forum, and documents, and expert analysis.  I'd stress the following regarding the dogs.

- It is highly probable that they detected cadaver smell.
- It is possible, given that she spent time there, that the smell is from Madeleine.
- It is possible, given that Mrs McCann was a doctor, that it was a cadaver odour transferred from the numerous corpses that she came into contact with through her job.
- It is possible, given that the apartment was frequently inhabited by other families, that cadaver odour transferred from their stays.

And similar reasoning can be used with regard to the garden area and the hire car.

Given that there was no forensic evidence to build on the dogs, the evidence does not stand up, nor would it ever stand up in a court of law.

Thus, I find it somewhat interesting that so many view the dogs as concrete proof of the McCanns' guilt.  It must be interesting to have a mind that jumps to conclusions that aren't based on logical reasoning...

[Martina]

- It is possible, given that Mrs McCann was a doctor, that it was a cadaver odour transferred from the numerous corpses that she came into contact with through her job.

You really think that a doctor would have such a poor hygiene to reek with dead bodies and wear during the holidays the unwashed clothes from work? Seriously? And how often a part-time anesthesiologist gets in contact with decomposing bodies?

[pegasus]

- It is highly probable that they detected cadaver smell.
...

Several interesting points in your post. Answering here only the first:

Only one of the dogs (Eddie) was trained to signal cadaver scent.
So I would (and please forgive me if I am wrong about that) rephrase your first point as:
"It is highly probable that he (Eddie) detected cadaver scent"
With that, I agree completely.

[Cariad]

You really think that a doctor would have such a poor hygiene to reek with dead bodies and wear during the holidays the unwashed clothes from work? Seriously? And how often a part-time anesthesiologist gets in contact with decomposing bodies?

Part time GP actually.

The chances of a GP being in contact with a dead body are very slime indeed.

[Gadfly]

Pathfinder - again you jump to the conclusion that the cadaver smell in the places you identify was connected to Mrs McCann.

And second, you assume that the cadaver dog was accurate.  We only know that he was probably accurate in detecting cadaver smell.

You have a problem differentiating between facts that can be established, and your imagination.  Or so it seems.

[pathfinder73]

Pathfinder - again you jump to the conclusion that the cadaver smell in the places you identify was connected to Mrs McCann.

And second, you assume that the cadaver dog was accurate.  We only know that he was probably accurate in detecting cadaver smell.

You have a problem differentiating between facts that can be established, and your imagination.  Or so it seems.

No the cadaver came from the missing child not the mother.

[VIXTE]

What was found behind the sofa was blood. And it was traced to DNA of two PJ policemen.

[pathfinder73]

What was found behind the sofa was blood. And it was traced to DNA of two PJ policemen.

Eddie could smell the cadaver way before that sofa was moved so he could get behind it to alert.