In the world of art, classic law enforcement partners are often portrayed in works such as Holmes and Watson, or Scully and Mulder from The X-Files.
In Gastonia, North Carolina, the most famous real-life duo is Sheriff David Rowland and Bo. This pairing is reminiscent of the 1989 film “Turner & Hooch” starring Tom Hanks.
The unique aspect of this partnership is that Bo is a police dog.
However, Bo is no ordinary dog. This two-year-old search and rescue dog won the highest honor at the 2024 American Humane Hero Dog Awards.
Bo’s handler, 39-year-old Sheriff Rowland, has been working with canine partners for many years. His previous partner, a German Shepherd named Colt, actually saved his life.
During an incident where they were chasing two armed men, Rowland apprehended one suspect but failed to notice the second man coming up behind him.
In an interview, Rowland recalled how Colt saw the man pointing a gun to his head. He said, “Colt saw this and for some reason, the guy was really scared of dogs. Colt went into protective mode, barking wildly at him, which scared him off. He then dropped his gun and surrendered. That man had intended to kill me, and this dog saved my life.”
After Colt retired at the age of 15, Rowland kept him as a pet. Now, Rowland is in need of a new partner. This time, he’s looking for a bloodhound, known for their exceptional sense of smell.
“They are the best in tracking… Bloodhounds are in the top three in terms of scenting ability,” Rowland said. Surprisingly, despite their comical appearance with large, droopy ears, these features play a crucial role in tracking. Rowland explained, “When Bo puts his nose to the ground, his ears actually drag on the ground, stirring up evaporating scents. This allows him to differentiate target scents from the surrounding environment.”
Bo gained national attention last May when he successfully tracked a 7-year-old child who had been kidnapped at knifepoint. Bo picked up the scent from the child’s clothing and led Rowland on a 7-mile, four-hour tracking mission through various locations before ultimately finding the child in an abandoned house.
After a thorough search, Bo located where the child was being held. The kidnapper was under the influence of drugs and with the help of negotiators, eventually surrendered the child. Rowland confidently stated, “I can say without hesitation, if it wasn’t for Bo, that child probably wouldn’t be alive today.”
Rowland’s desire to work with police dogs stems from the thrilling experiences and the desire to assist those in need. He adopted Bo, an 8-week-old bloodhound, from the Jimmy Ryce Center, an organization that provides bloodhounds for police departments free of charge, named after a 9-year-old boy abducted and killed in 1995.
Rowland believes his partnership with Bo is destined. After training, Bo received his work certification six months later by passing a test to track a scent that was laid 75 minutes prior and stretched 1.5 miles.
When off duty, Bo resides with Rowland, his wife, and their 8-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son on a farm with numerous animals including 110 chickens, 30 ducks, and some turkeys. Rowland noted, “I love animals. I love cats, birds – you name it, we have it. Bo loves my kids, and my kids love him.”
Bo was treated like royalty when he won the award last year, being flown to New York in first class and even making an appearance on The Today Show. Rowland expressed that the award also helps raise awareness on the importance of bloodhounds in law enforcement.
In conclusion, Sheriff Rowland believes working with a police dog is the ideal job in law enforcement. He said, “Every day, you get to execute missions with your best friend.”
This article was originally published in American Essence magazine.