On Thursday, May 2, a police dog named Mercury and his handler, Officer Austin Speer, successfully tracked a missing 85-year-old woman in Greenwood Village, Colorado. Following the rescue, the City of Greenwood Village Government shared details about the incident on Facebook.
Upon receiving the report of the missing woman — who had been gone for two hours — local police promptly dispatched K-9 Mercury and Officer Speer to commence the search. The duo headed into a challenging terrain, navigating through grassy and hilly areas to locate her.
Police dog tracks and finds woman in 10 minutes
The K-9 showcased his remarkable skills by leading Officer Speer through a clearing of bushes towards an open area, eventually finding the missing woman. They found the woman clinging to a tree down a steep ravine, in a location that was not visible from the nearby roadway or canal.
The City of Greenwood Village Government shared footage from a police body camera that captured the moment the K-9 found the woman. Officer Speer, upon arriving at the scene, reassured her with comforting words, “This is a friendly dog. He found you!” To which the woman replied, “That’s good.” The footage concludes with the officer promising to get her home safely.
A photo accompanying the city’s post shows Officer Speer, Mercury, and the rescued woman standing on a bridge near the ravine, all appearing relieved and safe. Not only that, the city government acknowledged the collective efforts of Officer Speer, Mercury, and their colleagues, Corporal Brandon Runyan and Officer Roberto Moya, for ensuring the woman’s safe return to her family.
A comment on the city’s Facebook post revealed that the rescued individual was the mother of the commenter, who had become exhausted after attempting to climb a hill. Despite a two-hour search by the family, Mercury and Officer Speer located her in merely ten minutes, an effort likened to a “Navy Seal extraction” by the grateful son. He further expressed his immense gratitude towards the officers and the K-9 unit for their swift and effective response.
Mercury, who has been with the Greenwood Village Police Department for about a year and a half, has proved to be an invaluable asset not only in searching and tracking missing persons but also in narcotics detection — per USA Today.
