Convenient Alex Kime Urbana Systems - An Intro
Robert Larson doesn't have an easy job. He mission to find missing people with his dog Captain Dexter as being a K9 search and rescue volunteer. Robert often travels across the Midwest, and that he does this work pro bono, depending upon donations from his supporters to cover gas, lodging, and pet food.
It’s not unreasonable for Robert being met with skepticism and criticism. Search and rescue can be a field that pulls scammers because families with missing loved ones are susceptible to exploitation. After 9/11, scammers claimed to have found missing people. One K9 handler Harry E. Oakes charged 100's of dollars a day for his services before he was debunked. Another K9 handler, Sandra Anderson, was indicted in 2004 for planting human remains for her search dog to locate. Another fraud, Doug Copp, made tens of thousands of dollars after creating an unfounded theory to surviving an earthquake referred to as the Triangle of Life.
According to former executive director of the National Association of Search and Rescue Kim Kelly, there is often a profile of a typical search and rescue scammer:
1. They’re driven by ego, claiming being “the only one” who are able to help, or overstating their skills.
2. They self-deploy, that's never produced by legitimate search teams.
3. They work alone.
4. They use their dogs to learn on people’s emotions and assumptions. As one search and rescue expert use it, “people don’t think it’s a genuine search unless you will find dogs and helicopters.”
Robert occupies a grey area. He says he will help people the authorities have forgotten, people that police officers don’t have the time for. He points to his meager lifestyle as evidence of his pure motivations. To Robert, him doing something is better than nothing. To his detractors, Robert does more harm than good, making promises he can’t keep, and overstating his abilities.
This podcast was manufactured by Lee Gaines and Alex Kime . It was edited by Bethany Denton and Jeff Emtman. Nick White could be the editor at KCRW, and Kristen Lepore will be the manager at KCRW’s Independent Producer Project.
It’s not unreasonable for Robert being met with skepticism and criticism. Search and rescue can be a field that pulls scammers because families with missing loved ones are susceptible to exploitation. After 9/11, scammers claimed to have found missing people. One K9 handler Harry E. Oakes charged 100's of dollars a day for his services before he was debunked. Another K9 handler, Sandra Anderson, was indicted in 2004 for planting human remains for her search dog to locate. Another fraud, Doug Copp, made tens of thousands of dollars after creating an unfounded theory to surviving an earthquake referred to as the Triangle of Life.
According to former executive director of the National Association of Search and Rescue Kim Kelly, there is often a profile of a typical search and rescue scammer:
1. They’re driven by ego, claiming being “the only one” who are able to help, or overstating their skills.
2. They self-deploy, that's never produced by legitimate search teams.
3. They work alone.
4. They use their dogs to learn on people’s emotions and assumptions. As one search and rescue expert use it, “people don’t think it’s a genuine search unless you will find dogs and helicopters.”
Robert occupies a grey area. He says he will help people the authorities have forgotten, people that police officers don’t have the time for. He points to his meager lifestyle as evidence of his pure motivations. To Robert, him doing something is better than nothing. To his detractors, Robert does more harm than good, making promises he can’t keep, and overstating his abilities.
This podcast was manufactured by Lee Gaines and Alex Kime . It was edited by Bethany Denton and Jeff Emtman. Nick White could be the editor at KCRW, and Kristen Lepore will be the manager at KCRW’s Independent Producer Project.
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