{"id":2374,"date":"2026-06-02T22:08:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T22:08:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2374"},"modified":"2026-06-02T22:08:02","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T22:08:02","slug":"meet-splash-rescue-otter-helps-law-enforcement-agencies-crack-cold-cases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2374","title":{"rendered":"Meet Splash: Rescue otter helps law enforcement agencies crack cold cases"},"content":{"rendered":"

ENGLEWOOD, Fla.<\/strong> – <\/span>A unique tracker with four paws is helping investigators solve cold cases and uncover hidden underwater clues.<\/p>

Read more Florida Legislature approves DeSantis property tax cut plan for November ballot<\/a><\/p>

Peace River K9 Search and Rescue has added Splash, an Asian small-clawed otter, to its team to assist with difficult underwater forensic searches.\u00a0<\/p>

Underwater crime detection<\/strong><\/h2>

What we know:<\/p>

<\/div>

Water has historically been an area where criminals could dispose of items with a high likelihood of avoiding detection. Splash is trained to use his nose to smell remains or evidence submerged in water, navigating through zero-visibility environments.<\/p>

Instead of relying solely on odor, Splash utilizes his whiskers like a powerful sonar system to find hidden targets. When Splash detects a target, he communicates with Peace River K9 Search and Rescue President Michael Hadsell through a tether line signal system, alerting Hadsell to seize his dive mask.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n

Splash navigates a murky shoreline while working on a tether line system with a handler to detect hidden underwater targets.<\/span> <\/p> <\/div><\/div>

Forensic search milestones<\/strong><\/h2>

By the numbers:<\/p>

Splash began training with the organization at four months old, made his first recovery at just six months old, and has been a team member for the last year and a half.<\/p>

Splash has compiled a successful record during his year and a half on the search team. According to Hadsell, Splash has successfully completed nine total recoveries, which include two pieces of criminal evidence and seven sets of human remains.<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n

Splash, an Asian small-clawed otter with Peace River K9 Search and Rescue, rests on a towel during a break from training.<\/span> <\/p> <\/div><\/div>

Future law enforcement programs<\/strong><\/h2>

What’s next:<\/p>

Hadsell is actively compiling his research on Splash’s capabilities. Within a year, Peace River K9 Search and Rescue will officially decide whether to continue the otter program and train more otters to join the search team.<\/p>

Hadsell believes that otters could eventually become a standard tool for law enforcement agencies to use alongside traditional search dogs. Because this work deals with the edge of criminal law, handlers are focusing on setting up strict protocols so that the otter forensic recoveries can successfully become admissible evidence in court.<\/p>

Read more Armed vehicle burglary suspect caught after running from Sarasota police<\/a><\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n

Peace River K9 Search and Rescue President Michael Hadsell holds Splash, emphasizing that a strong trust bond is essential to their underwater recovery work.<\/span> <\/p> <\/div><\/div>

Search team philosophy<\/strong><\/h2>

What they’re saying:<\/p>

Hadsell emphasized that success depends entirely on the connection he shares with the animal.\u00a0<\/p>

“You have to have a trust bond with them and they have to absolutely believe that you\u2019re going to take good care of them and so I really protect my relationship with Splash so he knows I will be there and take care of him,” Hadsell said.<\/p>

The ultimate goal of the program is to bring resolution to grieving families and hold criminals accountable.\u00a0<\/p>

“Water has always been that area that the bad guys knew if they disposed of it in water they\u2019d have a really good chance of getting away with it,” Hadsell explained. “We are trying to change that we want to say sorry serial killer the otter got you.”<\/p>

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n

Search otter Splash inspects a container during a training session designed to sharpen his forensic odor tracking skills.<\/span> <\/p> <\/div><\/div>

Hadsell added that the novelty of the program requires careful documentation.\u00a0<\/p>

“This is a new thing, no one has done this before,” Hadsell said. “This is dealing with the edge of criminal law so this is stuff that will become evidentiary in a court somewhere. We want to set it up right and do it right, so that when we get into court the cases are not blown up because there is an otter working on the case.”<\/p>

The driving force behind the daily training remains focused on the victims. “There\u2019s a bad guy who got away with something and there\u2019s a family who is missing their loved one and we want to get that resolved,” Hadsell said.<\/p>

Read more Arrest made in downtown St. Pete shooting that left man dead on Memorial Day: Police<\/a><\/p>

Click here for more information. \u00a0<\/p> <\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A unique tracker with four paws is helping investigators solve cold cases and uncover hidden underwater clues.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2369,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,152,134],"tags":[8,153,136],"class_list":["post-2374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-crime-and-public-safety","category-pets-and-animals","category-sarasota-county","tag-crime-and-public-safety","tag-pets-and-animals","tag-sarasota-county"],"yoast_head":"\nMeet Splash: Rescue otter helps law enforcement agencies crack cold cases - Tampa moving journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/tampamovingjournal.com\/?p=2374\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Meet Splash: Rescue otter helps law enforcement agencies crack cold cases - 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