Missing Person Located In Greenwich With Help From K9: PD

GREENWICH, CT — Police located a missing person in Greenwich on Sunday with the help of a K9 officer from Stamford. Around 7 p.m., Stamford Police Officer Jonathan Gale and his K9 partner, Knox, were sent to Greenwich to assist officers in their search, Stamford Police said in a statement.

Police said Knox quickly picked up the missing person's scent and was able to find him deep in a wooded area, where he was hiding in a ditch behind a house that was under construction.

"This was a difficult task due to the fact it was at night, unfamiliar terrain for both the officer and the K9, and a twenty minute window that the person was reported missing," Stamford Police said in a statement on Facebook. "This type of work exemplifies how important K9's are to any department and the communities they serve."

According to Greenwich Police Lieutenant John Slusarz, the person ran into the woods while having a medical emergency. There were no injuries reported, and the situation was resolved over the course of about 90 minutes.

Slusarz said Greenwich Police also have a K9 officer, however the dog was not duty when the incident was reported.

"When our K9 is off duty, the first thing we do is call an adjacent department for a K9, because they will usually respond a lot quicker. If we can't get somebody to respond, then we start trying to hunt down [our K9]," Slusarz said to Patch. "They're a great tool. They can help us find people or drugs, and offer protection."