By Charles Shiver
COOK CO., Ga. – Meet one of Cook County Sheriff Doug Hanks’ newest officers, Dallas!
Capt. Brent Exum with the Sheriff’s Office says that when you first see the bloodhound, you may immediately think of Blake Shelton’s song “Ol’ Red.”
However, Dallas is only three-years-old.
Sheriff Hanks expressed deep appreciation to Sheriff Ashley Paulk and the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office for donating Dallas to the CCSO. Dallas is one of two dogs that the Lowndes sheriff brought back from the Sumter County, Fla., SO, said Sgt. Clayton Godwin, the bloodhound’s handler for the CCSO.
Dallas became a certified tracking dog after completing training in Dooly County a couple of weeks ago, Sgt. Godwin said.
Dallas has already helped in a tracking situation involving a female offender on the lam. He followed her scent and found her shoe and wallet on the trail. The offender only got away by absconding in a vehicle, but was caught later, Sgt. Godwin said.
Sheriff Hanks said Dallas is a much needed tool for the CCSO, which has recently seen a rash of suspects fleeing on foot in the woods and community.
The Sheriff’s Office is very thankful for K-9 tracking dog assistance provided during those local incidents by the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Office and Georgia Department of Corrections, but Cook County needs a tracking dog capability of its own to have a more immediate response to fugitives who might otherwise escape or commit more crimes before they are caught.
Sheriff Hanks also says Dallas may be used to more quickly find autistic children or elderly people suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease who have wandered off and face injury or exposure in the outdoors.
“Dallas will be a great asset for us,” Sheriff Hanks said. “I can see him helping us with so many issues.”
According to some sources, researchers estimate that a bloodhound’s sense of smell is at least 1,000 times stronger than a human’s. Bloodhounds have been known to follow a scent trail for more than 130 miles, and a bloodhound’s sense of smell is so strong that it can still smell a trail up to 300-hours-old.
As a reward for his efforts when he picks up a scent, Dallas gets bacon bites, but he enjoys liver treats most of all.
Dallas also has the ability to help with article searches (evidence and missing property), such as for firearms, Sgt. Godwin said. Godwin added that Dallas will be training and working together with CCSO’s other K-9 officer, a German Shepherd named Uri, who assists his handler, Deputy James Finney, and other officers. With Uri’s helpd they search for hidden illegal narcotics; tracking missing people and suspects; and article searches. Uri also received his initial training in Dooly County.
Sgt. Godwin thanked Brian Harrell and South Georgia Graphics for adding the K-9 vehicle designs to the Tahoe that Dallas rides in to work out in the field.
Dallas has not been fixed.
Sheriff Hanks is hopeful that Dallas may eventually be bred with a female bloodhound and produce offspring that may one day, when mature, become added tracking dogs for the CCSO and other law enforcement agencies.
