The Lake Charles Fire Department has a new recruit – K9 Rook the Goldador.

Two years ago, Rook’s handler and partner LCFD Captain Brandon Spooner discovered the State Farm Arson Dog program. He applied for the scholarship and was put on a waiting list. In December of 2022, he was informed that he would be gaining a new life partner.

Over the last 30 years, this program – funded by State Farm – has placed over 450 working canines in fire departments and law enforcement agencies in 46 states, the District of Columbia and three Canadian provinces.

Spooner and Rook easily created a deep bond as they trained together in New Hampshire, alongside the 12 other students of Class 55, over a four-week period. “When I flew in, they picked me up at the bus station.  Three hours later I was assigned to him. I didn’t get to pick him, choose his name, nothing… from that moment on he was with me 24/7.”

Like all arson dog teams created under the State Farm Arson Dog program, Spooner and Rook were trained by Maine Specialty Dogs and certified by the Maine State Police.

K9 Rook is an accelerant detection canine, aka an arson dog. These dogs are trained to identify evidence at fire related crime scenes, assisting in reducing false claims for insurance agencies, finding the cause of a fire, solving cold crime cases and in some cases, possible signs of homicide.

“His job is to look for areas that are going to give me a greater probability of taking a sample to come back positive from a crime lab,” said Spooner. “Then it is just like what a detective would do. I have to find suspects, motives, everything that goes along with a crime.”

In court, Rooks’ alerting of a fire accelerant takes precedence over a lab sample that comes back as inconclusive in some cases, Spooner said.  Rook can identify over 60 types of accelerants.

Arson dogs are vital in identifying the over 280,000 intentional fires that are the cause of 420 civilian deaths, 1,360 civilian injuries and $1.3 billion in direct property damage on an annual basis, according to the National Fire Protection Association.

“We feel law enforcement officials should have every tool possible to combat this costly – and sometimes deadly – crime,” said Heather Paul, National Arson Dog Program Coordinator for State Farm in a release. “These K9s enable investigators to do their job more efficiently and effectively.”

Many don’t know about the law enforcement sector of the LCDF. “Most everybody has asked why I am carrying a gun. I am police for the fire department.”

And, just like an officer with the Lake Charles Police Department, Spooner is full post certification.

He, and the three other officers in the department, are able to make arrests and write warrants, but require assistance from LCPD to book those arrested.

His primary focus is arson and fire-related crimes. Spooner explained that while he was able to effectively solve arson crimes on his own, Rook has made his job much easier.

Rook will also double as a public relations expert, LCFD Fire Chief Delton “DC” Carter said. “We will be introducing him to kids and letting them know what his job is.”

“It keeps the kids’ attention and creates better relations with them,” Spooner said.

Rook has adjusted well to daily life with Spooner.  “He is my daily partner, but he is absolutely a member of my family now. He lives with me. He trains with me…. At home, I got my daughter rolling around with him on the floor trying to teach him to roll over, just being a dog.”

“Bark,” Rook seconded.