MARYLAND, USA — A hardworking Maryland Fire Marshal K9 retired over the weekend. Sky, an accelerant detection K9, who has been on the job for more than seven years, hung up her badge on Sunday.
Sky and her her partner, Senior Deputy State Fire Marshal Melissa Decker, have been assisting fire investigators across Maryland and beyond in finding trace amounts flammable liquids to help build cases against arsonists. She also helped rule out the use of accelerants to allow investigators to focus on other potential reasons for a fire.
Trained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), K9 Sky started in the "Puppy Behind Bars" program, where she lived with and was socialized by inmates who provided basic training to service dogs.
The ATF procured Sky and assigned her to the Accelerant Detection Program. Decker and Sky graduated in December of 2016. Since then, Sky has worked alongside firefighters and investigators, responding to countless calls, assisting in investigations, and meeting what Decker estimates are thousands of people while working community and school events and public demonstrations across Maryland. She also helped train future ATF agents during their academy classes in Georgia.
Known for their keen sense of smell and unwavering commitment to their work, accelerant detection K9s like Sky have been instrumental in identifying accelerants such as gasoline, lighter fluid, kerosene, and even odorless solvents used in arson cases, the Maryland Fire Marshal said in a press release announcing Sky's retirement.
"As Sky enters retirement, everyone at the Office of the State Fire Marshal expresses our gratitude for Sky and S/DSFM Decker's commitment to keeping Maryland safe. We wish Sky a well-deserved restful retirement filled with treats, belly rubs, and endless playtime," stated Chief Deputy and Acting State Fire Marshal Jason M. Mowbray.
Meanwhile, Decker now begins training with a new partner at the ATF Canine Training Center in Front Royal, Virginia. When the pair graduates, they will return to Maryland and be one of only 71 teams in the United States.
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