PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis. — The Pleasant Prairie Police Department has a new four-legged crime fighter, and her specialty is finding electronic devices that criminals may try to hide. K-9 Kai, a two-year-old English Labrador retriever, was officially welcomed into the department during Monday night’s Village Board meeting on October 12, 2026. Kai will work alongside Detective Jim Hackney, helping investigators locate electronic evidence, particularly in cases involving crimes against children.
Unlike traditional police dogs trained to track suspects or detect illegal drugs, Kai is an electronic detection K-9. Her specialized training allows her to locate electronic devices that investigators might otherwise overlook during searches. She will play an important role in supporting Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigations, where recovering hidden electronic devices can be critical to uncovering evidence.
Kai’s abilities extend well beyond searching homes and buildings. According to the Village of Pleasant Prairie, she has been trained to locate electronic devices indoors, outdoors, inside vehicles and even in water. Her highly specialized detection skills will provide investigators with another tool when searching for evidence in criminal investigations.
But Kai has another special talent that makes her particularly valuable when working on cases involving vulnerable victims. Before becoming an electronic detection dog, Kai was originally trained for therapy work. That background allows her to provide comfort to both adult and child victims who may be experiencing difficult or traumatic circumstances.
Unlike many traditional working police dogs, Kai can be petted and played with while on duty. Her friendly personality allows her to serve two important roles: helping investigators uncover evidence and providing emotional comfort to people who may need it most.
Detective Hackney was selected to receive an electronic detection K-9 through the National Computer Forensic Institute (NCFI). Kai underwent approximately four to six months of specialized scent-detection training under Todd Jordan of Jordan Detection, who developed her ability to identify electronic devices.
Hackney’s training focused on learning to handle Kai and building a strong working relationship with his new partner. That bond will be important as the two work together during searches and investigations.
The addition of Kai gives the Pleasant Prairie Police Department a specialized resource for investigating technology-related crimes, particularly those involving the exploitation of children. Her combination of investigative abilities and therapy training makes her a unique addition to the department.
Residents interested in following Kai and Detective Hackney’s work can visit the Pleasant Prairie Police Department’s official Facebook page, where the department shares updates about its K-9 team.
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One Response
Great guy and great dog!
Back the blue!