A police dog named Blue has nothing to be blue about after tracking down a man for two miles across a river and farmland in England before finally nabbing him. The nearly hour-long chase in September 2016 was captured on the bodycam worn by the German Shepherd’s handler. The team works with the Bedfordshire, Cambridge and Hertfordshire (BCH) Dog Unit.
“Blue’s nose led his handler down a footpath, into thick bushes and across a knee-deep stream,” reports the Hertfordshire Constabulary, which released the footage of the chase this week. “He continued to track over fences, fields and another stream before finding a jacket believed to belong to the driver.”
Blue followed the scent down country lanes and across farmlands before finding Samuel hiding in thick undergrowth.
The chase started after the suspect, Elroy Samuel, failed to stop when officers tried to pull him over. He crashed into another car and then fled into the woods. After his capture, Samuel was charged with six crimes, including aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and failing to stop for police. He was sentenced to two years in prison.
“Our dogs and handlers are highly trained and determined, as demonstrated by Blue and his handler’s prolonged tracking,” said Sergeant Cray Birch from the BCH Dog Unit. “I am very grateful for their work, as they proved to be an invaluable asset at this incident.”
Earlier this month, Blue received a PDSA Animal Award — one of the most prestigious awards of its kind in the world — for yet another heroic act last year. In December, Blue led his handler to a man who had suffered an asthma attack and collapsed in the woods.
If not for Blue and his handler, “the incident may have had a very different outcome,” Chief Supt. Dales said at the award ceremony. Nice work, Blue!
Photo credit: Hertfordshire Constabulary