Attraction Hosting A K9 Meet-&-Greet With Tennessee Bureau Of Investigation’s Canine Unit
On April 1, it is hosting a meet-and-greet with “representatives” of its newest exhibit.
These are not your average friendly Fidos, tho; they are highly trained police dogs that launching a new part of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation’s (TBI) display at the popular crime museum.
The exhibit includes a section on the department’s K9s and several of the dogs will be on site for people to see and meet from 10:30 am-12:30 pm. This is included in the regular admission and will give people a chance to meet the canines and learn more about the important role they play in the TBI
“We are excited about the new update to the canine portion of the TBI exhibit,” said TBI Director David Rausch. “Our K9 Agents are a huge asset to our team, and we are grateful to have this opportunity to educate the public about their specialized skills and how they make an impact every day across the state.”
The temporary exhibit opened last summer. It includes details from well-known and ongoing cases. The new additions to the exhibit include K9 Zeus, who is an Electronic Storage Detection (ESD) canine. He’s also the first and only ESD canine in the bureau. TBI has also added K9 Millie and Honey, who will both be featured in the exhibit.
An ESD canine is a dog that has been specially trained to sniff out electronic storage devices. The devices may play an important role when it comes to crimes ranging from child pornography to terrorism. The electronic storage devices they have been trained to sniff out include memory cards, computers, cell phones, thumb drives, and memory chips.
“We offer a fascinating look at the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, and now it’s even better,” Candice Cook, director of operations at Alcatraz East Crime Museum, said. “This exhibit offers a look at what the bureau does, cases they have worked on, and features their K9 unit and the important role it plays.”
The TBI was founded in 1950, and has existed in various forms through the years. It has seven offices throughout the state, and over 600 employees spread across eight divisions. Its mission is to support local law enforcement around the state by providing them with specialized investigative skills.
At any one time, the Criminal Investigation Division has more than 1,500 open cases. The bureau also routinely conducts its own independent investigations into child victimization, drug violations, domestic terrorism, and fugitive recovery.
The museum partnership with TBI allows visitors to learn about the founding of the agency and the important roles of TBI’s agents, forensic examiners, and analysts.
This exhibit also brings attention to current missing children and features a local cold case, the brutal 2015 murder of Donald Lawton in Kodak, TN. Other cases featured in the exhibit will include the Bain sisters kidnapping in 2012, the murder of Rhonda Daugherty in 2014, and murder of State Senator Tommy Burks in 1998.
For more information about the TBI temporary exhibit, go to: https://www.alcatrazeast.com/temporary-exhibits/tennessee-bureau-of-investigation-2/
Visitors should review all safety rules prior to their visit on the webpage devoted to COVID-19: https://www.alcatrazeast.com/covid-19/.
About Alcatraz East Crime Museum
Alcatraz East is the most arresting crime museum in the United States. Guests of all ages can encounter a unique journey into the history of American crime, crime solving, and our justice system. Through interactive exhibits and original artifacts, Alcatraz East is an entertaining and educational experience for all ages – so much fun it’s a crime! This family attraction is located at the entrance of
The Island, located at 2757 Parkway, Pigeon Forge, TN. General admission tickets are $14.95 for children and $26.95 for adults.
Visitors are encouraged to check the website prior to visiting for reduced hours, as a result of COVID-19. The last ticket sold is 60 minutes before closing.
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit: www.alcatrazeast.com.
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