♪.

TED: COMING UP NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON," THE IMPACT OF THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S REPEAL OF A LONGSTANDING CONCLUSION THAT GREENHOUSE GASES WARM THE EARTH.

>>> ALSO TONIGHT, HOW EFFECTIVE OF A.I.

MODELS AT DETECTING AND COUNTERING ANTI-SEMITIC AND EXTREMIST CONTENT?

>>> AND WE'LL MEET COCO, THE NEWEST VICTIM SUPPORT K-9.

ALL THAT AND MORE NEXT ON "ARIZONA HORIZON."

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TED: GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME TO "ARIZONA HORIZON."

I'M TED SIMONS.

CHECK OF HEADLINES, THE REVEREND JESSE JACKSON DIED TODAY AT HOME IN CHICAGO.

HE WAS 84.

AN ICON OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT PICKING UP THE FIGHT FOR RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUALITY FROM HIS FRIEND AND MENTOR DR.

MARTIN LUTHER KING.

HIS CALL TO KEEP HOPE ALIVE TO FIND COMMON GROUND.

THAT PUSH LED TO PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS THAT FELL SHORT BUT MARKED BY MEMORABLE SPEECHES AT DEMOCRATIC CONVENTIONS.

>> AMERICA IS NOT LIKE A BLANKET, ONE PIECE OF UNKNOWN CLOTH.

THE SAME COLOR THE SAME TEXTURE, THE SAME SIZE.

AMERICA'S MORE LIKE A QUILT, MANY PATCHES, MANY PIECES, MANY COLORS, MANY SIZES, ALL WOVEN AND HELD TOGETHER BY A COMMON THREAD.

THE WHITE, THE HISPANIC, THE BLACK, THE ARAB, THE JEW, THE NATIVE AMERICAN, THE SMALL FARMER, THE BUSINESS PERSON, THE ENVIRONMENTALIST, THE PEACE ACTIVIST, THE YOUNG, THE OLD, THE LESBIAN, THE GAY AND THE DISABLED MAKE UP THE AMERICAN QUILT.

[APPLAUSE] >> EVEN IN OUR FRACTURED STATE, ALL OF US COUNT AND FIT SOMEWHERE.

WE'RE PROVEN THAT WE CAN SURVIVE WITHOUT EACH OTHER, BUT WE'VE NOT PROVEN WE CAN WIN AND MAKE PROGRESS WITHOUT EACH OTHER.

WE MUST COME TOGETHER.

TED: JACKSON HAD BEEN SUFFERING FROM PARKINSON'S DISEASE FOR YEARS.

HIS FAMILY DID NOT GIVE A CAUSE OF DEATH.

ONLY HE DIED PEACEFULLY.

THE REVEREND JESSE JACKSON DEAD AT 84.

>>> THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION RECENTLY ANNOUNCED IT WAS REVERSING A LONGSTANDING CONCLUSION THAT GREENHOUSE GASES WARM THE EARTH AND ENDANGER HUMAN HEALTH AND WELL-BEING.

THE ADMINISTRATION STRIPS THE HEAT-TRAPPING SOLUTION.

SANDY BARH JOINS US.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

THIS IS THE ENDANGERMENT FINDING, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

TED: WHAT IS THAT?

>> IT IS BASICALLY WHAT YOU SAID.

IT IS A FINDING THAT GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ARE ENDANGERING PUBLIC HEALTH, AND IT IS SOMETHING THAT WAS ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THE CLEAN AIR ACT, AND THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS NOW SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, NO, IT DOESN'T ENDANGER PUBLIC HEALTH.

SO THEY'VE GONE FULL-BLOWN DENIAL.

DENIAL, THAT IT ENDANGERS PUBLIC HEALTH, DENIAL OF THE SCIENCE, DENIAL OF THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES.

TED: ESSENTIALLY TARGETS VEHICLE EMISSIONS AND OIL REFINERIES AND FACTORIES, THESE SORTS OF THINGS?

>> RIGHT, AND COAL PLANTS AND GAS PLANTS.

IT'S GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS LIKE CARBON DIOXIDE, WHICH IS WHEN YOU BURN THINGS AND METHANE, THE MAJOR COMPONENT IN NATURAL GAS, FOR EXAMPLE.

>> YOU MENTIONED THE CLEAN AIR ACT.

THERE'S A PUBLIC HEALTH MANDATE WITHIN THE CLEAN AIR ACT.

IS THAT THE LEGAL FOOTING THAT THE EPA HAS BEEN USING AND THE ENDANGERMENT TO FINDING HAS BEEN BASED ON?

>> YES, THAT'S CORRECT.

THERE ARE OTHER POLLUTANTS THAT THEY REGULATE.

CRITERIA POLLUTANTS THAT WE KNOW HARM PUBLIC HEALTH.

HERE IN THE PHOENIX AREA, FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE FAMILIAR WITH OZONE PARTICULATES, THOSE ARE THINGS THAT ARE VERY HIGH, AND THEN WITH CARBON DIOXIDE, METHANE, THEY'RE BASICALLY SAYING THOSE -- WELL, THEY WERE SAYING THOSE ENDANGER OUR HEALTH, BUT NOW THEY'RE SAYING, NO, WE'RE GOING TO IGNORE ALL THE SCIENCE, WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT, AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT UNDERPINNING FOR OTHER DECISIONS LIKE THEY HAVE A RULE TO REDUCE METHANE EMISSIONS.

THERE'S A RULE TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS FROM POWER PLANTS, AND THEN THERE ARE ALSO RULES TO LIMIT EMISSIONS FROM VEHICLES AND VEHICLES HAPPEN TO BE THE NUMBER ONE EMITTER OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS IN THE UNITED STATES.

TED: WASN'T EPA ALREADY ON THE ROAD, SO TO SPEAK, TO LIMITING THOSE REGULATIONS REGARDING VEHICLES?

>> YES.

VARIOUS THINGS THEY'VE DONE RELATIVE TO VEHICLES, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE EPA.

THE CONGRESS PASSED A PROVISION IN THE BIG UGLY BILL, I CALL IT, WHERE THEY GOT RID OF ANY OF THE PENALTIES FOR NOT MEETING THE FUEL EFFICIENCY STANDARDS.

SO THERE'S FUEL EFFICIENCY, AND THEN THERE ARE EMISSIONS, AND WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY RELATES TO EMISSIONS.

TED: RIGHT, RIGHT.

AND THE PRESIDENT SAYS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT TODAY, THIS ENDANGERMENT FINDING, THE QUOTE IS DISASTROUS AND UNNECESSARY BURDEN ON BUSINESS AND CUSTOMERS.

HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

>> WELL, I WOULD SAY HIS DECISION AND EPA'S DECISION IS DISASTROUS BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FEELING AND PAYING FOR THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE THROUGH DROUGHT, AND DECREED FLOWS IN THE COLORADO RIVER, WILDFIRES, EXTREME HEAT, THESE ARE COSTING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

IT'S HARDER FOR PEOPLE TO GET INSURED BECAUSE OF THE DISASTERS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, AND THAT'S ONLY GOING TO INTENSIFY IF WE DON'T ACT ON CLIMATE CHANGE, AND THIS SETS US BACK, IF IT IS UPHELD BY THE COURTS.

>> I WANT TO GET TO THE SETBACK IN A SECOND.

BACK TO WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAD TO SAY.

HE SAYS THE IDEA OF CLIMATE CHANGE HAD NO BASIS, IN FACT, NONE WHATSOEVER, IT HAS NO BASIS IN LAW, AND HE CALLS CLIMATE CHANGE A CON JOB.

>> WELL, AS WE KNOW, THIS PRESIDENT IS NOT FOND OF THE FACT OR LOOKING AT THE SCIENCE, AND HE'S PRONE TO MISREPRESENTING A LOT OF ISSUES, AND THAT'S WHAT HE'S DOING HERE.

THE SCIENCE IS STRONGER NOW THAN WHEN THE ENDANGERMENT FINDING -- WHEN THEY FOUND THAT, WHEN EPA FOUND THAT.

WE ONLY HAVE MORE SCIENCE TO SUPPORT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS ENDANGERING OUR HEALTH AND IMPACTING OUR COMMUNITIES, AND IT'S HAPPENING.

WE'VE SEEN IT HERE FIRSTHAND.

METEOROLOGISTS NOW, WHEN THERE'S EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS, THEY WON'T SAY, WELL, IT'S ENTIRELY CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE BECAUSE YOU CAN'T REALLY SAY THAT, BUT THEY TALK ABOUT CONTRIBUTING TO IT, INCREASING THE FREQUENCY, INTENSITY, IT IS FUELING ALL THAT -- WARM AIR IS FUELING MORE INTENSE WEATHER, AND YOU KNOW, AGAIN, WE'VE SEEN IT HERE FIRSTHAND.

OUR TEMPERATURES JUST KEEP GOING UP.

TED: I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE PRESIDENT'S POSITION IS CLEAR HERE AS WELL AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT.

HE SAID, QUOTE, OVER GENERATIONS FOSSIL FUELS SAVED LIVES, LIFTED BILLIONS OUT OF POVERTY ALL OVER THE WORLD.

HE SEES THE POSITIVE IN FOSSIL FUELS AND THE OIL INDUSTRY AND THESE SORTS OF THINGS.

DOES HE HAVE A BIT OF A POINT?

>> I THINK HE'S COMMITTING THE SIN OF OMISSION THERE BECAUSE, YES, YOU COULD SAY THAT, BUT THE ISSUE IS THAT FOR DECADES WE'VE KNOWN THAT FOSSIL FUELS ARE KILLING PEOPLE, WHETHER IT'S THROUGH THE AIR POLLUTION, THE WATER POLLUTION OR THE CLIMATE CHANGE THAT THEY'RE CONTRIBUTING TO, AND THE OIL COMPANIES THEMSELVES HAVE KNOWN THAT.

WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ACTING MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVELY SEVERAL DECADES AGO, BUT NOW FINELY, WE STARTED TO SEE ACTION UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, AND WE COULD SEE THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO TURN IN THE DIRECTION OF REALLY BRINGING DOWN THOSE EMISSIONS, AND NOW UNDER THIS PRESIDENT, HE'S REVERSED COURSE.

WE KNOW THAT THEY ARE HARMING OUR COMMUNITIES AND OUR ECONOMY, AND THE THING IS, WE HAVE ALTERNATIVES, AND THEY'RE AFFORDABLE.

SOLAR AND WIND ARE VERY AFFORDABLE ENERGY SOURCE.

WE DON'T HAVE TO RELY ON COAL AND GAS THE WAY WE DID.

TED: LAST QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO.

THE IMPACT OF ALL OF THIS ON ATTEMPTS TO CURB CLIMATE CHANGE?

>> WELL, IT'S DEFINITELY A SETBACK FOR THIS COUNTRY, AND THIS COUNTRY HAS LOST ANY KIND OF LEADERSHIP ROLE WHEN IT COMES TO ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE.

THIS IS AN EXCLAMATION POINT ON THAT, BUT THE IMPACT IS, IN PLACES LIKE ARIZONA, WHERE WE HAVE, WE HAVE NO STRONG CLIMATE LAWS OR REGULATION BECAUSE OUR AGENCIES CAN'T EVEN TAKE ACTION BECAUSE THE LEGISLATURE HAS PROHIBITED THEM FROM DOING ANYTHING TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS.

IT'S A REAL BLOW BECAUSE IT WILL BE VERY HARD FOR US TO DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S INHABITABLE HERE GOING FORWARD.

TED: SANDY BARH, SIERRA CLUB, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: THE ADL, THE ANTIDEFAMATION LEAGUE STUDIED SIX LEADING A.I.

MODELS AND HOW THE MODELS DETECT AND COUNTER ANTI-SEMITIC AND EXTREMIST CONTENT.

TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME THE ADL'S DESERT BOARD CHAIR SETH RACHLIN AND SARAH KADER, GOOD TO HAVE YOU HERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> THANK YOU.

TED: SARAH, START WITH YOU, THE NEW INDEX ON A.I., WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT HERE?

>> ADL IS TRYING TO MEET THE MOMENT WE FIND OURSELVES IN WITH ALL OF THE MODELS, WE'RE USING THEM ALL THE TIME AND TRYING TO BE INNOVATIVE HOW WE ANALYZE THE MODELS.

THIS NEW STUDY, FIRST OF ITS KIND IS A RIGOROUS ANALYSIS OF MULTIPLE MODELS TO DETERMINE HOW THEY DETECT AND REFUTE ANTI-SEMITIC CONTENT.

TED: SETH, IT FOCUSES ON LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

TED: WHAT IS THAT?

>> CONTENT GENERATION MACHINES.

WE ASK QUESTIONS OF THE MODELS AND BASED ON THE PREDICTIVE TECHNOLOGY INHERENT IN NEURAL NETWORKS, THEY COME UP WITH ANSWERS AND COME UP WITH ANSWERS THAT CAN BE TEXTUAL ANSWERS, IMAGE ANSWERS, I'M THINKING PARTICULARLY IN THE RECENT COUPLE OF DAYS, WE'VE BEEN SEEING LOTS OF VIDEO OF TOM CRUISE MYSTERIOUSLY FIGHTING BRAD PITT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET, THAT IS IMPACT GENERATED BY A LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL.

TED: WOW.

LLMs?

>> LARGE LANGUAGE MODELS.

TED: I'M HIP ON THIS KIND OF STUFF.

AS FAR AS THE INDEX, THOUGH, HOW IS THE INDEX COMPILED AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

>> YES, WE'RE LOOKING TO FIND HOW THESE MODELS RESPOND TO ANTI-SEMITIC AND EXTREMIST CONTENT AND SETH CAN SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE.

>> SO WE TOOK 370 DIFFERENT CONTENT AREAS, AND THINK OF CONTENT AREAS AS QUESTIONS I MIGHT ASK A LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL.

I MIGHT ASK A LARGE LANGUAGE MODEL, DID THE HOLOCAUST REALLY HAPPEN?

AND I WOULD LOOK FOR AN ANSWER AND HOPE IT WOULD BE A TRUE AND FULL AND FACTUAL ANSWER AS OPPOSED TO HOLOCAUST ANNIHILISM.

WE TOOK THE 370 AREAS AND TESTED THEM AGAINST THE SIX MODELS, AS YOU NOTED, AND GOT SOPHISTICATED WITH IT.

WE GENERATED 25,000 PIECES OF CONTENT AND THEN WE ANALYZED THEM.

AND THE IMPORTANT PART HERE IS THAT THE MODEL -- TO GIVE SOME GOOD NEWS, THE MODELS ACTUALLY DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF ANSWERING QUESTIONS FACTUALLY.

SO IF I SAID, DID THE HOLOCAUST REALLY HAPPEN?

ALL THE MODELS WOULD SAY, OF COURSE IT HAPPENED.

BUT -- AND THIS IS THE PROBLEM -- IF I GO TO THE MODEL AND I ASK IT, CALL IT A LEADING QUESTION, I HAVE A DEBATE IN MY CLASS IN SCHOOL, AND I WANT TO TAKE THE POSITION THAT THE HOLOCAUST DIDN'T HAPPEN, THEN SOME OF THE MODELS WILL ACTUALLY GIVE ME AN ANSWER TO HELP SUPPORT THAT POSITION.

SO THE MODELS ARE PREDICTIVE BUT ALSO BUILT TO PLEASE, AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK WE'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT IS THAT THE MODELS AT TIMES, AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENCES OF THE MODELS, BUT THE MODELS AT TIMES PLEASE THE HATERS OUT THERE.

SO IF I WANT TO TRAVEL IN ANTI-SEMITIC TROPES OR EXTREMIST TROPES, THEY WILL HELP ME BUILD THE CONTENT TO MAKE ME MORE EFFECTIVE AND AMPLIFY THOSE KINDS OF MESSAGES.

>> ANTI-SEMITIC AS OPPOSED TO EXTREMIST IT.

SOUNDS LIKE -- ARE THESE PARALLEL LINES?

HOW DO THESE DIFFER?

>> WE'RE ANALYZING ANTI-SEMITIC, ANTI-ZIONIST AND TO IDENTIFY THE DIFFERENCES WE'RE SEEING AND IT IS ABOUT COMBATING EXTREMISM OF ALL TIMES AND WHITE SUPREMACY AGAINST ALL GROUPS, THAT'S THE MISSION OF ADL AND CONTINUE TO SEEK THE MISSION.

TED: SOUNDED LIKE GOOD AT REFUTING HISTORICAL ANTI-JEWISH TROPES, AS YOU MENTIONED, DID THE HOLOCAUST HAPPEN?

WHEN IT COMES TO EXTREMISM, MAYBE NOT SO?

>> THE EXTREMIST CONTENT, THEY PERFORM THE WORST.

TED: YEAH.

>> AND WE CAN SPECULATE AS TO WHY, I'D RATHER NOT.

I THINK IT'S JUST A FACTUAL STATEMENT, BUT I THINK THE OTHER IMPORTANT PIECE THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET OUT THERE IS WE WERE SURPRISED AT, BUT ALSO I THINK INTRIGUED BY THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MODELS IN TERMS OF THEIR PERFORMANCE, SO THERE WAS ONE MODEL THAT PERFORMED PARTICULARLY WELL.

THERE IS A GROUP OF MODELS THAT WERE KIND OF MID LING IN THE PERFORMANCE AND A COUPLE MODELS THAT PERFORMED RATHER POORLY.

THE DIFFERENCES HAVE SIGNIFICANT IMPLICATIONS FOR US AS A.I.

CONSUMERS AND IMPLICATIONS TO THE COMPANIES THAT MAKE THE MODELS.

TED: FOR THIS STUDY, ANTI-SEMITISM, HOW IS IT DEFINEED?

>> RIGHT, SO ANTI-SEMITISM IS HATE AGAINST THE JEWISH PEOPLE, BUT I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE CONVERSATION WITH REGARD TO MODERN ANTI-SEMITISM MANIFESTED THROUGH ANTI-ZIONIST TROPES AS WELL.

TED: THE NEXT QUESTION IS HOW IS ANTI-SEMITISM TARGETING ANTI-ZIONISM DEFINED, FOR THE PURPOSES OF THE STUDY?

>> RIGHT, WE'RE SEEING ANTI-ZIONISM AS ANTI-SEMITISM IN CERTAINUATIONS, ZIONISM AS SIMPLY THE BELIEF THAT THE STATE OF ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO EXIST.

THOSE ARE THE PROMPTS THAT ARE GIVEN IN THE MODELS.

>> TO BUILD ON THAT, IT'S A CODING QUESTION.

TED: YES.

>> SO IF THE HATE IS DIRECTED AT THE JEWISH PEOPLE OR HISTORICAL QUESTIONS LIKE YOU SPOKE OF, WE WOULD CODE THAT AS BEING ANTI-JEWISH IN NATURE.

IF THE HATE IS EXTREME AND DIRECTED TOWARD THE STATE OF ISRAEL FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF RIGHT TO EXIST, THAT WOULD BE CONSIDERED ANTI-ZIONIST.

IF THE STATEMENT IS SIMPLY A DISAGREEMENT WITH THE ACTIONS OF THE ISRAELI GOVERNMENT, WE WOULD TREAT THAT AS A NEUTRAL STATEMENT.

WE WOULD NOT CODE THAT AS ANTI-ZIONIST.

TED: WHAT DO WE TAKE FROM THIS?

>> I THINK WE TAKE A COUPLE THINGS.

NUMBER ONE, EVEN THOUGH, AND I HAVE TO SHOUT IT OUT THAT CLAUD PERFORMED THE BEST OF ALL THE MODELS, SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER THAN THE OTHER MODELS, THAT EVERY ONE OF THE TECH COMPANIES THAT MAKES THESE MODELS HAS WORK TO DO IN TERMS OF BUILDING THE GUARD AROUND THEM, CLAUD HAS DONE MORE THAN OTHERS, BUILDING THE GUARDRAILS AROUND THEM TO USE THEM SAFELY, AND AS CONSUMERS AND BUSINESSES WHO ARE SPENDING MONEY TO USE THESE MODELS AND TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MODELS, WE HAVE CHOICES IN TERMS OF WHICH ONES WE WANT TO GO TO, AND WE NEED TO COLLECTIVELY PUT PRESSURE ON THE COMPANIES TO DO THE RIGHT THING.

TED: SARAH, REAL QUICKLY?

>> YEAH, I WANT TO SAY WE LOVE TO WELCOME FOLKS TO OUR CONFERENCE THE ON FEBRUARY 27 TO LEARN MORE AS SETH WILL BE PRESENTING ADL CENTER ON TECH AND SOCIETY ABOUT A.I.

AND THE INDEX AND STUDY AT THE OMNI TEMPE ON FEBRUARY 27 WITH ASU.

WE'D LOVE FOLKS TO JOIN US THERE.

TED: GOOD TO HAVE YOU BOTH HERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

.

TED: COCO IS THE MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE NEW VICTIM SUPPORT DOG, TO ACCOMPANY VICTIMS PRIMARILY CHILDREN TO COURT HEARINGS AND INTERVIEWS TO HELP WITH HIGH-STRESS SITUATIONS.

JOINING US IS HALEY KNUTSON AND WELCOME TO THE STAR OF THE SHOW, COCO.

HI, COCO.

HOW YOU DOING?

MUST BE WONDERFUL JUST TO GO AROUND WITH COCO.

SHE'S JUST WONDERFUL.

>> SHE'S THE ABSOLUTE BEST.

I SAY SHE'S MY SIDE KICK.

TED: OKAY, K-9 VICTIM SUPPORT PROGRAM, THESE ARE BASICALLY DOGS TO HELP VICTIMS AND ESPECIALLY KIDS, HUH?

>> CORRECT.

SUPPORT ALL TYPES OF CRIME VICTIMS BUT PRIMARILY CHILDREN.

TED: WHERE ARE THEY INVOLVED?

>> SO PRIMARILY THEY ATTEND TRIALS AND COCO LAYS AT VICTIMS' FEET, WITNESSES' FEET, AND THEY ARE ABLE TO PETCO CO WHILE TESTIFYING.

SHE ATTENDINGS HEARINGS WITH ME AND PROSECUTORS OR OTHER ADVOCATES AS WELL, AND THAT'S PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING THAT SHE DOES.

TED: SHE DOES A LOT OF THINGS, THEN?

>> SHE DOES.

TED: SHE'S THE NEWEST MEMBER?

>> SHE JOINED US IN OCTOBER OF 2025.

TED: AND REPLACED ANOTHER DOG THAT WAS RETIRED?

.

>> YES, WE HAD LOST MORGAN, ONE OF OUR K-9s AND K-9 ELLIE RETIRED AS WELL, AND COCO IS NOW OUR WORKING A-9.

TED: HOW ARE DOGS CHOSEN?

HOW IS COCO CHOSEN?

>> SHE DID A YEAR AND A HALF OF OBEDIENCE TRAINING AND SIX MONTHS OF INTENSIVE COURTROOM TRAINING.

YOU REALLY WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE PROPER TEMPERAMENT OF A DOG AND SOMEONE WILLING TO WORK AS WELL AS A DOG WHO CAN UNDERSTAND THE COURT SETTING AND WHAT IS ASKED OF THEM.

TED: ARE THEY ALWAYS GOEDEN RETRIEVERS?

>> WE HAVE HAD PRIMARILY GOLDEN RETRIEVERS, WE HAD A LAB AS WELL.

TED: YOU WANT A RELATIVELY CALM DOG, YOU DON'T WANT A TERRIER YAPPING.

>> EXACTLY.

TED: THEY ARE PUT THROUGH HECTIC ENVIRONMENTS TRAINING?

>> WE HAVE DONE COURTROOM TRAIN WEARINGS WE DO A MOCK COURTROOM WITH COCO, AND WE'VE HAD ALMOST EVERY SCENARIO.

WE'VE HAD SIRENS GOING, ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD IMAGINE IN A COURTROOM OR LISTENING TO ANYTHING, ANY SCENARIO THAT COULD POSSIBLY COME UP DURING A TRIAL OR A HEARING IS SOMETHING WE MAKE SURE SHE IS PUT THROUGH.

TED: AND TO MAKE SURE SHE HANDLES IT VERY WELL.

WHEN COCO IS WITH A CHILD, WHEN THE PREVIOUS DOGS ARE WITH THE CHILDREN, VICTIMS, INTERVIEWS, MEETINGS, HEARINGS, SOME OF THE CRIMES ARE ATROCIOUS, HOW MUCH DOES IT HELP TO HAVE THE DOG THERE?

>> IT IS SUCH A NIGHT AND DAY DIFFERENCE.

COCO IS ABLE TO BREAK THROUGH BARRIERS THAT WE AS HUMANS CAN'T.

WE CAN PROVIDE A LEVEL OF EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO HUMANS TO ANYONE, ESPECIALLY VICTIMS OF CRIME, BUT COCO'S PRESENCE, I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE TRANSFORM INTO JUST A PERSON THAT YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THEM THROUGHOUT THEIR ENTIRE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS, SO SHE'S ABLE TO BREAK THROUGH.

THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT WE AS HUMANS CAN'T DO.

TED: FOCUS ON KIDS BUT IS COCO THERE FOR ADULTS AS WELL?

>> YES, SHE HAS HELPED WITH SOME ADULT VICTIMS, AND ALSO THE CHILDREN WHO ARE VICTIMIZED, THEIR PARENTS AS WELL.

TED: YEAH, YEAH, THIS IS AN ODD QUESTION BUT I GOT TO ASK IT BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DOG.

KID'S IN A VULNERABLE AND EMOTIONAL STATE, AND HERE'S A DOG HELPING A CHILD, WHAT IF THE CHILD FALLS IN LOVE WITH THE DOG.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

>> I HAVEN'T HAD THAT HAPPEN YET WHERE THEY ARE SO IN LOVE WITH COCO.

I LET THEM KNOW IF IT'S THEIR FIRST TIME MEETING HER, THEY CAN MEET HER AGAIN.

IF THEY WANT TO COME IN FOR A MEETING.

I HAD PEOPLE SCHEDULE MEETINGS JUST TO SIT WITH COCO.

TED: REALLY?

ISN'T THAT SOMETHING?

>> YEAH, I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO DO IT BECAUSE LIKE I SAID, SHE'S ABLE TO DO MORE THAN WE AS HUMANS CAN DO.

TED: HOW -- DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE SHE'S HELPED SO FAR?

>> I'D SAY ABOUT 75 VICTIMS SINCE OCTOBER.

TED: SINCE OCTOBER?

SHE'S FOUR YEARS OLD?

>> SHE IS FOUR.

TED: HOW LONG DO YOU THINK SHE WILL BE ON THE JOB?

>> MY HOPE IS ANOTHER FOUR MORE YEARS, HOPEFULLY UNTIL SHE'S EIGHT, BUT HONESTLY, IT'S UP TO HER.

TED: LAST QUESTION.

HI, COCO, I'M GOING TO HATE YOU LEAVING, YOU ARE ONE OF MY FAVORITE GUESTS.

WHERE DOES SHE GO WHEN WORK IS DONE?

>> SHE LIVES WITH ME.

SINCE I'M THE PRIMARY HANDLER, SHE COMES HOME WITH ME, I'M HER PRIMARY HANDLER, I'M HER OWNER FOR LACK OF BETTER PURPOSES, SO SHE LIVES WITH ME, AND WE DO EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

PLAYING BALL AFTER WORK IS HER FAVORITE ACTIVITY, AND THAT IS WHAT WE WILL BE DOING AFTER THIS.

TED: VERY GOOD.

SHE DESERVES IT.

ONE OF THE CALMEST PETS WE'VE HAD HERE.

HALEY KNUTSON, MARICOPA COUNTY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE WITH K-9 VICTIM SUPPORT PROGRAM.

YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING, OKAY?

I THINK SHE SAID YEAH.

THAT'S IT FOR NOW.

I'M TED SIMONS.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

YOU HAVE A GREAT EVENING.