Sheriff's deputies and specially trained dogs search jail cell blocks for illegal cell phones

BRANDON, Fla. - A Florida Department of Corrections canine, specially trained to sniff out cell phones, was called in to search the Falkenberg Road Jail for illegal contraband Thursday.  It is the first time ever a cell phone-sniffing dog was brought in to search a Hillsborough County Jail.

Regular telephone calls from the jail are monitored by jail deputies for security. However, jail officials said it is impossible to monitor calls on any cell phones illegally smuggled into the jail.

"Unchecked communications from an inmate inside the jail to someone outside the jail could certainly spell a lot of problems for us," said jail commander Col. Jim Previtera. "They could be used to coordinate escapes, intimidate witnesses, even plan more crimes."

The FDOC canine, Uno, is one of two dogs in Florida trained and certified in sniffing out cell phones. The dogs uncovered about 75% of the 1200 contraband cell phones found in Florida prisons in 2010, said FDOC spokeswoman Jo Ellyn Rackleff.

Uno was one of two dogs called into the Falkenberg Road Jail as part of the stepped-up security. The second dog is trained to sniff narcotics. Jail officials say many smuggled cell phones have traces of narcotics on them.

The dogs led to the discovery of three contraband cell phones at the jail Thursday. All three belonged to contract employees, who are not permitted to bring cell phones into the secured areas of the jail. "Those employees will be disciplined," said Previtera. It is a felony to smuggle a cell phone into a secured detention facility in Florida.

No inmates were found in possession of an illegal cell phone.