New Douglas County K-9 Will Help Find Missing Persons

DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA — The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has a new K-9, Copper, who will help locate missing persons and those with Alzheimer’s.

Sheriff Tim Pounds his deputies said they have noticed a significant increase in the number of missing persons, especially amongst the elderly with Alzheimer’s Disease/Dementia and children, especially with autism. Since Pounds took office in January, 2017, there have been 475 missing or runaway persons. Out of those, approximately 37 were children and adults with disabilities. Only five of those cases remain open, police say, which are all runaway children where no foul play is suspected.

Sometime searches are large scale, involving multi-jurisdictional responses and resources. The Sheriff believes that in some of these cases a well-trained bloodhound could have expedited the efforts in locating these individuals.

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Copper, a blood hound graciously donated by two local breeders, Cody Sparks and Rebecca Myers, will be trained in tracking children and Alzheimer’s/dementia patients in the efforts to assist with locating missing persons. Donated at 13-weeks-old, Cooper will also be trained in public relations and used in the Sheriff’s Community Outreach Program and Education activities.

DCSO’s K-9 Unit provides teams of highly trained canines and handlers for the purpose of protecting citizens and enhancing the safety of fellow law enforcement officers. The Sheriff’s K-9 Unit aspires to relate, in a positive manner, with the general public, maintain a professional image, and to constantly strive to increase the efficiency and productivity of the Unit through continuous training.

Pounds said he's dedicated to serving and protecting the community as he has done for the people of Douglas County for more than 40 years.

Photo courtesy Douglas County Sheriff's Office