Haverhill Police say K-9 Rex, a black German shepherd that joined the force last fall, is being credited for recovering a key piece of evidence early last Friday that may ultimately lead to a hit and run driver.
Police said Rex accompanied patrolmen to a crash scene Friday, Aug. 14, around 2 a.m., where the driver appeared to have fled the scene on foot. Officers said they saw “significant damage” and were concerned the driver may have been hurt and in need of medical help.
K-9 Rex, wearing his harness and working on a 30-foot leash, set out to investigate.
“After initially casting around the area, Rex acquired a track and began pulling his handler eastbound on Kenoza Street. Approximately 100 to 125 yards from the crash scene, Rex’s behavior changed noticeably,” the department said on social media. “Rex’s head suddenly snapped toward an area of tall grass. He began carefully bracketing the area before sitting next to a purse.”
As a result, police said, officers discovered a driver’s license belonging to the registered owner of the crashed car. Police have not yet reported any arrests tied directly to the accident.
As WHAV reported last October, Mayor Melinda E. Barrett introduced Rex to city councilors in City Hall, where City Clerk Kaitlin M. Wright Esposito asked him to raise his right paw to be sworn in.
Rex is described as a dual-purpose K-9 certified in patrol, explosive ordnance detection and firearms detection.