DK9 unit assists Thurleston Residential Home in Ipswich to quickly find vulnerable dementia patients who wander off.
Darren Debenham runs DK9 with Catherine Jayaram. He said dementia patients sometimes wander off, which puts them in risky situations.
Darren has a new bloodhound puppy named Skye. He said police are often very busy. DK9 can get dogs searching quickly, which helps find missing people faster.
Skye is a skilled tracking dog, he said. DK9 helps while police gather information. Sometimes police are delayed on other calls, so DK9 offers quick help.
They want to be a backup for care homes. Homes can call DK9 after calling the police. DK9 will arrive fast with dogs and drones.
Darren said the service is totally free. They rely on donations for their dog training. Catherine Jayaram stressed that quick help is key because the missing are very vulnerable.
Care home director Rebecca Alcock spoke and noted there’s always a risk of residents going missing. This service gives extra security to the home.
Police dog units are different from DK9’s, Rebecca stated. It’s about being safe. They use a risk assessment plan, and they also have the Herbert Protocol in place.
The Herbert Protocol is for missing people cases. Darren’s dogs provide an extra layer of response, with the focus on proactive safety measures.