Police dog Ertu found 19 migrants and two lost mushroom pickers in October
Ertu, a German shepherd serving with Estonia's Police and Border Guard Board (PPA), helped detain illegal migrants and locate people lost in forests in early October. She works with Põhja Prefecture dog handler Keit Mürg.
A police service dog in Estonia took part in both the detention of illegal migrants and the search for people lost in forests during the first weeks of October. The German shepherd, Ertu, works for the Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) alongside Keit Mürg, a dog handler with the Põhja Prefecture.
Helen Kommussaar, head of the PPA's service dog unit, said police dogs help find dozens of missing or fleeing people every year. In her words, the dogs save lives, since those found are often in poor health. She added that a week with as many call-outs as Ertu had last week is uncommon.
Events in October
On 8 October at about 12:00, Ertu found a 59-year-old man in a forest near Allika village. He had become lost and his phone was running out of charge. The mushroom picker was escorted back to his car.
The same day, the dog was needed in Tallinn on Jülipilastes Street, where police were conducting an operation to detain a large group of foreigners who had entered the country illegally. Ertu's task was to help find every member of the group and keep the searching officers safe. All 13 migrants were detained and taken to a temporary holding centre. The operation, from receiving the tip to delivering the migrants to the centre, took just over three hours.
On 9 October at about 19:00, police received a call about a 75-year-old woman lost in a forest near Maidla village. The dog picked up a trail at the woman's car and found her about one and a half kilometres away. Drones also took part in the search. The operation lasted around an hour and a half, and the woman was brought home safely.
On 11 October at about 19:30, police were called to the Nõmme district of Tallinn, where two illegally arrived migrants were found and there was reason to believe the group could be larger. Police brought in extra patrols, rescuers, drones and quad bikes. A drone spotted people moving in the forest. The migrants first tried to run but were soon detained thanks to the dog and patrol officers. Eight more men from Sudan were found in the forest, six of them by Ertu.
Experience and work
Kommussaar said Ertu's experience with illegal migration began in Greece. In May, the dog took part in a mission of Frontex, the EU border and coast guard agency, and helped locate dozens of migrants. When migration pressure reached Estonia in the summer, Ertu and her handler already had experience in this area.
The PPA employs about 80 service dogs. One dog can be used to search for missing people, pursue fleeing offenders, track people and objects by scent and protect officers. A police dog's career lasts up to 10 years on average, after which it retires and lives at home with its handler.
