BEDFORD COUNTY, Va – Deputy Hoover may not look like a typical member of the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office.
He is a bloodhound donated to the Sheriff’s Office to assist law enforcement with tough searches in the county.
“Over the past years we’ve seen an increase in our missing persons and going out and doing searches,” said Bedford County Sheriff Mike Miller.
Hoover and his handler, Deputy Keith Hall, recently returned from training to get Hoover certified to help track missing people, people with autism, and dementia patients.
“With the dementia patients and autistic kids, and it’s good for them because he’s easy-going,” said Hall.
Hoover is the first bloodhound that the Sheriff’s Office has had since 2005.
Because the county is the fifth-largest geographically in the state, he will be a major asset when it comes to searches.
“It’s a great tool in our tool belt that we now have, which will cut our response down from getting our bloodhounds from our neighboring jurisdictions and we’re also going to offer him up to them,” explained Miller.
Miller also wants this four-legged protector to help act as a bridge between law enforcement and the community.
“What we’re wanting to do is do a meet-and-greet with them to get them socialized with Hoover, to know that if they do get lost, which we hope they don’t, but if they do get lost, this is who’s going to be coming to rescue you,” said Miller.
While he may be new, the Sheriff’s Office hopes Hoover will grow into his role for many years to come.