Arrow

“Unit 12, K9 Arrow, 10-8, status clear,” my partner, Officer Cole Parker, said over the radio. Something felt different about him that day. He was typically so focused and sharp on the job, but that day, he was much more attentive to me than usual. His gaze lingered on me, and the vibrations from his tight grip on my leash made me feel his anxiety.

I tilted my head to the side when dispatch’s response came through. “Unit 12, 10-4. Have a safe shift, and Merry Christmas,” she said, her voice muffled from the radio. The car became quiet. My partner usually listened to either talk radio or his favorite music in the mornings. I pressed my nose against the partition separating me from the front seats and sniffed, letting him know I was there for him. My chest felt heavy when I observed a tear coming from his eye, and I heard him sniffle. All I could think of was how badly I wanted to set my head in his lap to make him feel better. Perhaps he was sad because it was Christmas, and we had to spend yet another holiday away from our family… He cleared his throat at the sound of my whine, then wiped away his tears. 

“Unit 12, K9 Arrow, do you copy?” I sat up and perked up my ears, ready to pick up every detail of the incoming call. Cole pressed the button on the radio.

“Unit 12, go ahead,” he responded. 

“We have a vehicle stopped at Rosewood and Hayward. Requesting K9 assistance for drug sniff,” she said. Cole took a sip of his coffee and then responded. 

“10-4, Unit 12, we’ll be en route,” he answered, then took a deep breath.  “Alright Arrow, let’s make today count,” he said. I released a series of high-pitched bark and paced the car, ready to start another day as a K9 officer. 

The day flew, filled with traffic stops, domestic disturbances, and searching for lost property. Before we knew it, our shift had only an hour left. Nothing ever felt better than getting time outside with my partner, especially after it snowed. It started snowing earlier in the afternoon, and Cole was playing my favorite game to play in the snow. The snow was heavy earlier in the day, but by the time we were out playing, it had slowed down enough that the snowflakes drifted gently to the ground. Cole had taken me to the park for a play break. He would throw the ball into the snow drift, and it was my job to find it. Once I brought it back, I was told what a good boy I was, and Cole would scrub me behind my ears. 

The park glittered with Christmas lights, and the smell of pine trees blew along with the snowy breeze. Children were sledding down the hills in the park, filling the air with joyful cries. Carolers sang by the playground, and a small crowd gathered around them to listen to their melodies. Even though we had to work that night, something about the day made it special. I brought the ball back to Cole; his big smile made me feel lighter. I looked up at him, wagged my tail, then dropped the ball at his feet, ready to chase again. Cole crouched down to get the ball but then pressed his forehead against mine and scrubbed my ears. My heart rate slowed, and I closed my eyes as I sat down before him. 

“You’re such a good boy, Arrow,” he whispered. “You’ve given me the greatest eight years of my career,” he said. Hearing him tell me those words warmed my heart despite the frigid weather and the snow biting at my paws. I pulled back from his head and noticed another tear rolling down his cold, rosy cheeks. I licked them away and kissed his nose. He didn’t allow many people to see this emotional side of himself, and I could tell that it wasn’t easy for him. But he trusted me, and I would never let him be alone in those moments. He gave me another scratch on my ear, then picked up the ball. “One more throw, boy,” I couldn’t contain myself as I pranced around in the snow and spun in circles, waiting for the ball to leave his hand. It launched higher than any other throw he’d done that night and landed deep in the snowbank. I dove after it, following the scent to my prize. My search was suddenly interrupted by the cry of a woman echoing off the snow-covered hills. I yanked my head out of the snow and turned towards the source. A frantic woman rushed towards Cole, and in that moment, the play and laughter were gone. I kept my eyes on Cole and froze, waiting for his cue. My ears turned directly towards the woman and my partner, although you didn’t need ears like mine to hear every word the woman said. 

“Officer! My… My son, he… He disappeared, I don’t know where he is!” Her breath hitched with every word and cracked in desperation. Cole remained calm and attempted to ground her as he stepped closer to her. 

“Ma’am, take a deep breath, I need you to calm down,” he said in as soothing a voice as possible. “Tell me what happened.”

Although the woman was still slightly hyperventilating, her voice became quieter as she spoke through the tears streaming down her face. “My son was sledding, he got to the bottom of the hill… I swear I only looked at my phone for a second… I can’t find him anywhere!” she cried. My gaze remained on Cole, steady and focused. When was he going to call me? I waited for his signal. 

He looked right over to me, my ears forward and my stare hard as steel. “Arrow, hier,” he called. Without hesitation, I rushed towards him. When I made it to his side, there came another command. Sitz. I sat beside him, never removing his face from sight. He leaned over and attached my lead. All the while, the mother paced in front of us in anguish, her chest heaving and her cries giving her the attention of everyone in the park. The carolers had stopped, and people slowly started approaching the scene. 

“What is your son’s name?” Cole asked, his tone calm yet firm so we could get all the details. 

“His name is Liam, he’s six years old,” she wailed. 

“Okay, what does he look like?,” he said, his hand ready on his radio. 

“He’s 3 feet 9 inches tall, white, dark brown hair, green eyes. He was wearing red snow pants, a green coat, red hat, and a pair of green mittens,” she said, her breath steady but still talking through tears. A few concerned mothers had approached her; one had placed her hands on her shoulders and tried soothing her with comforting words. My focus remained on Cole, waiting for our next move. 

“Did you see where he went?” he asked her. One of the mothers who had gathered around her spoke up.

“He went into the woods, there was a man with him. I assumed he was his dad because the boy just took his hand and they went down that trail down there. He was tall and white, wearing jeans and a black coat,” the mom replied, making the woman wail again. Cole nodded, then pressed the button on his radio. 

“Dispatch, Unit 12, be advised. I have a report of a missing child at Rosewood Park. Caucasian male, six-year-old named Liam. Last seen wearing red snow pants, green coat, a red hat, and a pair of green mittens with a tall, Caucasian male wearing jeans and a black coat,” he gave the details concisely and meticulously, ensuring that he translated every important detail. “Please send additional units. K9 Arrow and I will begin our search,” he said, removing his hand from his radio. The woman was sobbing into her hands, the concerned mother rubbing her shoulders. “Ma’am, what’s your name?” Cole asked. She removed her hands from her face and wiped away her tears. 

“Heather,” she cried. 

“Heather, I’m Officer Cole, and this is Arrow,” he responded. I wagged my tail at the sound of my name. “In order for Arrow to find Liam, we need something of his. Do you have a blanket, or a pair of gloves, a stuffed animal, anything that might have his scent?” he asked. Heather closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she spoke. 

“I have his blanket in the car,” she replied, her voice shaky. She led the way to her van, parked in the first space next to the park. I pranced alongside Cole, ready to begin my search. She opened her car door, and then, with a shaky hand, she handed Cole the boy’s blanket. He put the blanket in front of my face.

“Arrow, such,” he calmly commanded. I breathed in deeply, smelling every inch I could. It was clear that the blanket had been freshly cleaned as the scent of soap hit me first. I kept sniffing, waiting to catch the human smell of the little boy. Finally, I caught it. I inhaled deeply, remembering every bit of the scent. More units had shown up to the park, and their cars' bright red and blue flashes had overtaken the twinkles from the Christmas lights. I looked up from the blanket and looked into Cole’s eyes, which were just as determined as mine. “Let’s go, Arrow. Such.”

I absorbed his command, and my brain and body took over immediately as I followed the trail the boy’s scent had left behind. My paws slipped in the cold snow as I kept tension on the leash, pulling Cole behind me. The ice-cold snow stung my nose, threatening to make it go numb. But nothing was getting in my way. The chaos of the crowd gathered in the park drifted away as Cole and I entered the woods. The only sounds were the winds whispering through the leafless trees, Cole’s boots crunching in the snow, and his occasional encouragement. 

“Good boy, Arrow. Look for Liam,” he said, his breath keeping up with my pace. Liam’s scent had remained on the trail until it suddenly branched off. I stopped on the trail momentarily, trying to determine which direction Liam had gone. I heard concern in Cole’s voice as he spoke up again. “Which way did he go, boy?” he asked. I finally picked up his scent again, which brought me to a fresh set of footprints to the left of the trail, leading deep into the woods. I bounded forward, following the scent and the footprints. Cole caught on to my find and ran to catch up with me. I began to growl as the scent became stronger, and I picked up on the scent that accompanied Liam’s… Odorous, musty, stale… Like it had no business with a child. Suddenly, I heard the snap of a twig, and I paused. I looked up from my trail and perked my ears as high as they would go. I heard Cole whisper behind me. “What did you hear, Arrow?” I zoned in on the direction of the noise, an area of bushes. 

More twigs snapped, and I saw movement in the bush. Was it a bunny, or was it my target? I could feel Cole’s tension in my leash, sending the vibrations down into my collar. I sniffed the air, which caught the strong smell of Liam. I knew who was in the bushes. My hackles raised, and I lowered my head as I growled deeper. I saw him. A dark shadow shaped like a big, imposing, burly man appeared in the bushes. He began twisting, and I heard the muffled cries of a little boy. I began to bark loudly, felt my leash get tossed around, and heard Cole’s gun click. 

“Police! Let go of the child and come out with your hands up!” he shouted, trying to overpower the sound of my barking. Suddenly, I saw the figure of the little boy get tossed to the ground, and the man shot off and bolted into the darkness of the forest. Liam’s cries filled the air, and even the trees could hear his terror. My heart rate picked up, and I tugged on the leash, waiting for Cole's command. I felt him unhook my lead, and my anticipation grew. 

“Arrow, fass!” he shouted as he ran towards Liam. 

The chase was on. 

I leaped forward and zoned in on the repulsive smell I had followed alongside Liam. It didn’t take long before I had him in my sight. The speed he had on his two feet was nothing compared to the speed I had. I kept after him, waiting for him to make a mistake. He slowed down to pick up a rock, and I had my opportunity. He turned around to throw it at me, and I leaped up, baring my teeth at the monster. My body slammed into his, the both of us hitting the ground with a thud. Without hesitation, my jaw clamped tightly around his arm, thrashing my head side to side like a shark attacking its prey. His yells and screams could have been heard for miles. Beams of flashlights frantically danced around us, and the voices of the other officers shouting at the man began to muddle the sound of my threatening growls. 

“GET HIM OFF OF ME!!!” The man wailed, writhing beneath me. But I wasn’t letting go. Not until I heard my command from my partner. Through the chaos, I heard Cole’s voice. 

“Arrow, aus!” he commanded. I let go and felt Cole pull my vest, lifting me off my target. I watched on with raised hackles and a deafening bark as the other officers rolled the man onto his stomach and put his bloodied hands behind his back. I heard Cole give another command: Platz. I lay down, sinking into the snow and feeling the sweet relief of being cooled down after a tense chase. Cole scrubbed his hand against my back, saying, “Good boy, Arrow! Such a good boy!” My heart rate slowed down hearing his words, but I was still panting to catch my breath. I watched as the other officers got the man cuffed and stood him up. Once the scene had calmed down, other officers approached me and offered their praise. 

“Nice save, Arrow. You’re that little guy’s hero.”

“Santa couldn’t have given that mom a better gift.”

“There won’t be another one like you, Arrow.”

“What a legend! Good boy!” 

With all the compliments, nothing felt better than Cole’s presence and the soothing scrub that he was giving my head. I looked up at his proud, grinning face and gave him a big kiss, drool and all. He laughed and gave my head one final pat before we stood up and returned to the parking lot, where a relieved Heather was reunited with her son. Cole and I headed toward our patrol car when we were interrupted by the call of a little boy’s voice. We turned to face Heather and Liam, who were headed toward us. He stopped right in front of us and looked up at Cole. 

“Can I pet him?” he asked, his little voice innocent and grateful. 

“Of course,” Cole responded. “Arrow, platz,” he ordered softly. I laid down and looked at Liam, my mouth open wide with my tongue hanging out, waiting for a pat on the head. Liam reached over and rubbed his hand back and forth between my ears.

“Santa sent you, didn’t he?” he asked. Cole and Heather laughed, and a little smile appeared on Liam’s face. “Thank you, Arrow,” he whispered. I kissed him on his nose, letting him know that I was more than happy to help him find his way back to his mother’s safe arms. I closed my mouth and sniffed his little face, inhaling the smells I didn’t want to forget. I could’ve stayed in that moment forever. Liam’s presence meant he was safe, and I accomplished another mission. Cole excused us and put me in the back of our warm patrol car. I gulped up the water and looked up at Cole, whose glassy eyes met mine. 

“What a way to end the night,” he said, his voice cracking as he wiped a tear off his cheek. “You’re gonna have a hell of a retirement story, bud,” he said as he scrubbed my face and kissed my nose. I gave his face one more kiss and licked away more tears. Cole gave me a quick hug, then closed the door to allow me to warm up and sleep. After a little while, I groggily woke up to the sound of Cole speaking over the radio:

“All units, be advised. K9 Arrow is 10-42. After eight years of service, Arrow completed his final tour of duty by saving the life of a local six-year-old boy. He will forever be regarded as a hero and an incredible asset to our department. Thank you for your service, Arrow. End of watch: 12/25/2024.”