After discovering a fleeing suspect, Rin the police dog receives an award from the chief/Kawasaki

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1206120029/

June 13, 2012

Rin being offered a reward in dog food. On the left is her handler, Police Chief Ueno=Rinkou Police Station, Kawasaki

On the 12th, the police dog Rin received an award from the chief of Rinkou Police Station. She was recognized for her work in pinpointing a man who abandoned his car and fled the scene of an accident in the Kawasaki Ward of Kawasaki City. Mischievously displaying her keen ability to pick out smells, Rin wagged her tail in response to a police officer presenting her with a package of dog food.

Rin is a female Labrador retriever, 3 years of age. Her extraordinary eagerness during searches makes her a very suitable police dog. Her handler, Chief Wani Ueno said he "fell in love at first sight." July of 2012 will mark the 2^nd completed year of service by Rin.

The incident with the suspect occurred early in June. Receiving word of the escaped man, the police dispatched Rin. Relying on her sense of smell, the pursuit began. 3 hours and 40 minutes after the incident, they arrived 300 meters away to a pontoon boat anchored in a canal. Rin was said to have discovered the man hiding under the pontoon's tarp. The captured man is suspected by police of committing several traffic violations that include drunk driving and fleeing the scene.

This was Rin's first experience in tracking down a criminal suspect. "(The search) took place during the night, so there were few pedestrians. We were also blessed with clear weather. Those were good conditions for us," explained Police Chief Ueno. "Rin really went after him. There's still more we can do after this. Every day, we’ll keep training, pursuing the goal of becoming 'Man and dog as one'."

Translation note: The title of the story was difficult to directly translate. It includes the characters 貢ケン (Pronounced Kouken). Kouken is normally written 貢献, meaning contribution or service to a cause. 貢ケン is play on words, intending to mean “contributing dog.”

Original text:

警察犬リンに署長賞、当て逃げ容疑者発見に“貢ケン”/川崎

2012年6月13日

ご褒美にドッグフードを贈られるリン号と、指導手の上野巡査部長（左）＝川崎臨港署

川崎市川崎区の交通事故現場から車を放置して立ち去った男の逃走先を突き止めたとして、県警の警察犬リン号に12日、川崎臨港署から署長賞が贈られた。やんちゃで我が強いリンはにおいへの反応も抜群といい、署員からご褒美に手渡されたドッグフードに尾を振って応えていた。

ラブラドルレトリバーのリンはメスの３歳。旺盛な捜索意欲が警察犬向きと、指導手の上野和仁巡査部長（37）に“見初められ”、ことし７月で警察犬歴２年を迎える。

事件は６月上旬に発生。男の逃走を受け出動したリンは、においを頼りに追跡を開始。事故から約３時間40分後、約３００メートル離れた運河に係留中の台船にたどり着き、ブルーシート内に潜んでいた男の発見に貢献したという。男は道交法違反（酒気帯び運転、当て逃げ）などの疑いで同署に逮捕された。

容疑者の発見はリンにとって初体験で、上野巡査部長は「夜間で歩行者が少ないことや、天候に恵まれたことなど、条件が良かった」と説明。「リンを信じて後を追った。今後も活躍できるよう、“人犬一体”で日々の訓練に励みたい」と話していた。