A hero Police Scotland officer who crawled through woodland with a broken heel bone to continue searching for a missing woman has been commended for her bravery.
Dog handler Constable Carly Fulton and her canine companion PD Ben were called out to the Carluke area in August 2022 to assist a major search for a vulnerable woman.
While navigating tricky terrain, the constable suffered the horror injury - which included ripped ligaments - after losing her footing in the thick undergrowth.
Despite being in pain, the determined duo continued to scour the area, with Constable Fulton crawling on her hands and knees before eventually locating the missing woman, who was taken to hospital.
After undergoing six months of rehabilitation, Constable Fulton was able to return to full duties and has now won a coveted award for her and Ben’s heroic efforts.
They were awarded the ‘Dog Team of the Year’ by the National Police Chiefs’ Council, with the trophy presented to them at Crufts in Birmingham on Sunday, March 12.
Constable Fulton said: “I’m grateful to receive this award but after my injury, I’m just glad to be back at work with my dogs.
“Due to the nature of that incident, I knew we had to find the woman quickly and that was the focus for me.
“Ben was my first dog when I joined the national Dog Unit and I’m always amazed at the power of his nose and what dogs bring to policing to save lives.”
Six-year-old Ben is a Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd cross breed who is trained as a general purpose dog. He can help find missing people, track suspects and recover evidence.
Chief Superintendent Tracey Robinson, head of Specialist Services, said: “I would like to congratulate Carly and Ben for winning this award which recognises their incredible determination and dedication to public service.
“All of our dog handlers work extremely hard developing their skills and provide crucial support as a national resource to local policing and their communities.
“I’m very proud and glad that Carly and Ben have been able to enjoy some time at Crufts to collect their award.”
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