MPD Canine retires from active duty

MACON - He was born Baloo vonBrodie Haus. Macon Police Officers know him as Bailey.
Bailey a 10-year-old German Shepherd, who began working on the Macon Police force in July 2001 is calling it quits.

The City of Macon purchased Bailey for $6,500 eight years ago. Aric Bowzer has been the canine officer who worked with Bailey. Bailey is the second dog the force has had with the department.
Macon Police Officer Kelly Kennedy was the first canine handler for the Macon Police Department around 1995, Macon Police Chief Steve Olinger said. “The first dog’s name was Valco.
Chief Olinger took over the position from December 1996 - 1998.  Jeff Toal, a former officer with the PD was the last officer to work with Valco. The dog retired from the force and moved with the Toal family.  

“The canine’s become a member of your family,” Bowzer said. “You have to trust the dog. You need to trust the dog 100 percent.”
While working for the Macon Police Department, Bailey has been used on many cases for the department and other law enforcement. Aric said he responded with Bailey approximately 350 instances. He has been to seven counties to assist in narcotic searches.

“A couple of bounty hunters came to Macon from Baltimore, Md., and asked if we could help in locating a man,” Aric said.

“Bailey and I were searching for the fugitive in a creek bank,” Aric said. “We didn’t have a scent trail. I had Bailey on a long line and he picked up an air-scent. We followed the creek bank about 100 yards and Bailey found him in a fox hole. The man was called out and he was taken into custody.”

Another time Bailey aided in finding a guy near Atlanta. A couple of St. Louis guys had been stealing anhydrous. One of the men was on a 4-wheeler. He stopped it and bailed on foot.
“Bailey was on a dead run,” Aric said. “We were running through very thick brush and trees north of Atlanta. My radio was pulled off from my belt by all the brush and limbs. We kept running after the guy, and I had no way of communicating for assistance. When the radio came off the batteries fell out. Bailey found the guy lying on the ground. When we had him secured, I told the other officers I was going to have Bailey find my radio. There wasn’t a path. I had know idea the location the radio came off. Bailey found it....and the batteries.

“I have been very impressed with Bailey’s abilities,” Aric said. “Bailey is rewarded with a toy reward and a lot of praise. He is also rewarded by biting the bad guy.”  
Bailey became ill recently and was taken to the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital. They removed his spleen due to a ruptured cyst causing internal bleeding. The veterinarians diagnosed Bailey with cancer.

“He has hermangio sarcoma, a very aggressive cancer,” Bowzer said. “The doctors said it is the worst cancer for a dog.”

“He’s pretty much back to normal. He still needs to replenish his blood,” Bowzer said.

“It’s time for him to retire,” Aric said. “Bailey will remain with the Bowzer family.”

Chief Olinger said there are plans to purchase another canine for the department.

“One of the reasons I got into law enforcement was to be a canine handler,”  Aric said. “He has already requested to be the handler for the next canine officer.”

“Bailey has always been excited to go to work and eager to do his job. “He has a lot of drive, but unfortunately his body is telling him to retire,” Aric said.