PWCPD Spotlight: Bloodhounds, Ready to Serve!

The Police Department has experienced a sharp rise in calls to find missing and/or endangered persons. To handle these calls, the Department previously relied on specialty dogs from other law enforcement agencies. This formal arrangement worked well if those specialty dogs and their handlers were not busy with calls in their own jurisdictions. Due to the volume of calls for service, it was time to move in a different direction.

Department leaders researched the best way to address the issue, asking how to best serve an increasing community need with existing personnel. This month, our two newest canine members passed their certifications as search dogs and hit the streets: Dory and Sadie are the new Police Department bloodhounds. Their sole role is tracking missing and/or endangered persons. They work with their K-9 handlers, Master Police Officers (MPO) Richard Bordenet and Timothy Horn, who are also assigned traditional patrol K-9 partners. 

The bloodhounds were purchased in Georgia from a reputable breeder who is used by other law enforcement agencies with bloodhound programs. The two bloodhounds arrived in April 2024 and were immediately acclimated to their new jobs by coming to work every day and being introduced to traffic noise, large numbers of people, and other conditions they would face in their duties. Sadie and Dory began their formal training in May 2024, and successfully completed the certification process in March 2025.

By pairing the bloodhounds with experienced K-9 handlers, the amount of training time for the human partners is lessened. This also means officers do not have to be re-assigned from patrol duties. The bloodhounds work an entire shift with their K-9 handlers, riding in vehicles with dual kennels – one for the patrol canine and one for the tracking canine. Like other members of the K-9 Unit, they are available at a moment’s notice to travel anywhere in Prince William County.

If you happen to encounter Dory or Sadie, it will be hard to resist the urge to say hello to them. But their K-9 handlers remind everyone that they are working animals so please ignore their cuteness so they can focus on their important work serving the County’s residents.

If you are interested in beginning a service-minded career with a highly reputable and accredited law enforcement agency, consider joining PWCPD. For more information and to apply online visit: joinpwcpd.org.