Canines, Robo-Dog join Cherokee Nation Marshal Service to find missing persons and save lives

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. - The Cherokee Nation Marshal Service has added two rescue tracking hounds to its unit and a new piece of equipment, the Robo-Dog.

The tracking hounds, Tip and Odell, are able to sniff an item that belongs to a missing person and see if they catch their scent on the ground or in the air, often starting at the last known location given to them by a witness or loved one.

The tracking dogs typically find articles along the way, marshals say. The Robo-Dog is another device purchased with a nearly $250,000 grant from Tribal Homeland Security Grant Program with the intention of saving lives across the Cherokee Nation Reservation.

"The Cherokee Nation is always expanding its public safety efforts and Marshal Service capabilities, and these are just a few of the ways it can help incorporate these four legged friends into helping find Cherokee loved ones and combat the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People's epidemic," said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.

Cherokee Nation Marshals have criminal jurisdiction over the 7,000 square miles of the Cherokee Nation Reservation in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court McGirt decision, which has increased the tribe's number of MMIP cases under its jurisdiction. The Cherokee Nation tracking hounds are used to find missing elders, children, and sometimes fugitives.

Austin Glory is a Deputy Marshal and canine handler with the Cherokee Nation Marshal Service. Glory grew up with hunting dogs and said working with Tip and Odell is very similar.

"We were avid coon hunters. My grandad, papa, dad, and uncles always had hunting dogs. I have had and trained hunting hounds my whole life, so I was thrilled to get these hounds as an additional assist for the Marshal Service and our citizens," he said.

Tip has been on the force for a while and is a senior to Odell. Odell is a newer puppy but is already in active duty and does regularly track training. Track training includes one marshal or staff-member hiding in a wooded area by a park or a trail. Both hounds have already found missing persons and have been on several active missions, together and separately.

"Find man," Glory says, and Odell or Tip will run off sniffing the ground. "Find man," and the hounds search until they find the missing person, or during training, the familiar face.

The canines know the difference between training and real-life situations based on adrenaline-scents and other contributing factors. They get to be two regular pets at home, playing and cuddling with Glory's family, but once they put on their uniform and get to work, they take their jobs very seriously, he said.

Cory Keele, Sr. Director of Public Safety, said that the Robo-Dog his department obtained is also helpful for the Marshal Service. The electronic dog acts like a remote-control robot that can replace a human officer in high-risk situations. It stands just a few feet tall but can complete many functions-recording video and streaming live footage, opening doors, walking, playing sound bites, and even barking.

"These things aren't cheap, but I would much rather explain why we had a piece of tech get destroyed than going to knock on the door of a spouse or a loved one," said Keele. "It's inevitable that these things are going to break down, and it's likely it could get broken if we enter a dangerous situation with it, but it is saving human lives."

Keele said the Robo-Dog has not yet been used in active duty yet, but he knows it will be one day.

For now, it has been a big hit with kids at many social events across the reservation. The marshals and Cherokee Nation Emergency Management team have given demonstrations at events including the Redfern Festival, the powwow during Cherokee National Holiday, events at rural schools, and more.

A fourth canine, Mojo, was recently added to Cherokee Nation Emergency Management Services. Mojo is certified as a Human Remains Detection (HRD) K9 and his handler is Rebecca Bryn Isbell, who works as Emergency Community Preparedness Coordinator with CNEMS.

As a newly certified team, Rebecca and Mojo will assist in missing persons cases and disaster deployments throughout the Cherokee Nation.

"I'm excited and thankful we get to work with dogs in our department," said Glory. "And I am very fortunate that the Cherokee Nation believes in this program."