California Prison Officials Say Phones Smaller, Easier To Smuggle

California corrections officials are calling it a crisis: Cell phones are getting smaller and easier for people to smuggle into California prisons.

Since the start of the year, nearly 2,500 cell phones have been taken away from prisoners.

Now there's a new crime-fighting weapon to detect these devices that are causing violence not just behind bars, but on the streets.

Deimos, a K-9 officer, is trained to find drugs. K-9 Nikki is an expert in finding tobacco.

These K-9 officers are taking on a new job to try to sniff out cell phones in prison cells and dorms.

"They know that if they come into a housing unit, they are going to find something one way or another," said dog trainer Wayne Conrad.

They're being put to the test at the Richard McGee Correctional Training Center in Galt. At the facility, a mock prison cell has been stocked with electronics.

"It was difficult finding out what substance made the phone unique. Once we discovered it, we were able to train for it," Conrad said.

Four years ago, correctional officers doing routine prison sweeps really took notice cells phones popping up in California prisons.

Back then, 261 cell phones were confiscated from inmates.

As cell phones become more compact, they are easier to sneak into prison.

Last year, nearly 7,000 mobile devices were found hidden in cells throughout the state's 33 prisons.

"It is out of control," Special Agent Terry Rosenkrans said.

Rosenkrans works with the Special Service Unit, a branch of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Agents said cell phones are not just being used to call home.

"Gangs who have turned into very sophisticated criminal organizations need to communicate just like any other organization," said Rosenkrans.

Rosenkrans said he believes this technology at the hands of inmates in prisons can turn deadly. Many prison employees said they want to make smuggling phones inside a prison a crime, just as Texas has done.

"Until we do something like that, it is going to continue because there is really no reason why they should stop it," Rosenkrans said.

Sgt. Wayne Conrad was called out of retirement to start up the K-9 cell phone unit.

"I've got people all the time telling me, 'You know, I don't think a dog can find cell phones.' But they can, and it works very, very well," Conrad said.

It can take an officer up to 45 minutes to find hidden cell phones, but a K-9 can do the job in a matter of seconds.

"If it is there, the dog is going to find it," Conrad said.

Five dogs are being trained to eventually conduct cell phone searches in all 33 prisons in California. The Belgian Malinois have all been donated to the department, making the program virtually free.