SARDUS Colorado

Criminal investigations/law enforcement trailing teams

Missing or abducted individuals

Search and Rescue Operations- lost and endangered people

Natural and man-made disasters

For law enforcement or search managers to activate a SARDUS response please call

1(855) 598-3267

The majority of operational SARDUS- Colorado teams are located along the Front Range of Colorado. We do have resources throughout the State and all teams are able to respond statewide.

Human Remains Detection (HRD)- 6 certified teams

These teams are specialized in locating human remains, including bones, tissue and fluids such as blood and full cadavers. How our teams can help you:
locating clandestine graves
investigation of crimes where blood or other fluids may be present
teams are trained to search in heavily contaminated urban areas, large wilderness areas, and disaster zones
teams are trained in crime scene preservation and many of the teams are law enforcement professionals

Example: HRD teams are often asked by law enforcement to search vehicles in tow yards for concealed human remains, major crime scenes for fluid evidence, and areas of interest that may contain buried human remains. Handlers testify in court as necessary and our experienced handlers are available as expert witnesses.

Wilderness Air Scent Teams- 5 certified teams

These teams are the traditional wilderness search and rescue teams. They are trained to search large areas (160 acres in 2 hours) in the wilderness, using the wind to locate lost people. These teams have demonstrated the skills necessary to search in the backcountry and to be self sustained for one operational period.

Water Search Teams- 6 teams certified to search from shoreline and in open water.

Water search teams are used to recover victims that have drowned. These teams are used to search either from shoreline or from a boat in open water. These specially trained teams can help pinpoint the location of the submerged body to assist divers in recovery.

Avalanche- 6 teams certified to search avalanche debris fields.

Avalanche search teams are used to locate survivors and recover victims that have been buried by avalanches.. These teams require special educational and training to work in often difficult and dangerous conditions. These teams most be proficient working in the back-country and have the specialized equipment to work in the back country and ski resorts.

SARDUS Certifications

meets all requirements set forth by the NIMS canine working group
certifications meet case law requirements- teams are tested by evaluators that do not work with the teams they are evaluating
certifications conducted by nationally accredited evaluators
SARDUS has one of the most rigorous evaluations, each evaluation consisting of multiple tests by multiple evaluators

Utilize our volunteers:
SARDUS Colorado would be happy to assist your organization. We work within established guidelines as determined by your needs and stated by a MOU.
For more information contact us directly here

bod@sardogsus.org

Urban/wilderness Trailing Teams- 7 certified teams

These teams are trained to investigate human scent in heavily contaminated areas. They are different from tracking dogs and can follow a person through urban areas 2- 12 hours after they go missing. These are the only nationally certified urban trailing teams in the region. These teams also can search in the non-contaminated wilderness environment. Our teams can assist you:
locate Alzheimer's patients that have gone missing
locate victims or evidence in child abductions
investigate and locate missing people in municipalities
investigate crimes where it is important to follow the path of a suspect (peeping Toms, burglars, sexual predators)
locate lost parties during search and rescue operations

Example: A trailing dog was used in investigation the abduction of 11-year old Carlie Brucia. The team was not able to locate the victim but was able to follow the path she walked. The path took her past a car wash where the abduction was filmed on video surveillance, resulting in the arrest of the suspect and the location of her remains.

Disaster Dog Teams- 3 certified teams, 2 FEMA equivalent level 2 disaster live teams and 1 HRD team

SARDUS is working with Federal, State and local agencies setting up disaster dog teams that can respond on a local level to disasters in the first operational period. These teams are tested to the FEMArequirements and our organization is made up of FEMA dog handlers and evaluators. Our teams have responded to most of the major US and international disasters from the Oklahoma City bombing to the recent earthquakes in Haiti. Our goal is to provide access to dog team resources within the first operational period when there is the best chance of recovering victims alive. These resources can bridge the gap until Federal resources can be put into place.