Wanted to be sure everyone was aware of this. No telling where he may turn up if he was stolen. Last seen near Xenia OH. He has a FB page where his search is coordinated: https://www.facebook.com/K9Karson
This officer needs to get back to his handler ASAP.
Latest report:"Unfortunately today has not seen any movement of Karson. I never get disappointed or angry, maybe just a little frustrated at this whole situation. We're still doing everything possible to find him. Flyers and posters are everywhere and everyone is still out spending time looking. Passed a green car today on the 35 bypass with hazard lights on and a tennis ball in the dash. Looked like an entire family was in the car. Passed another blue car on a narrow Greene county road that had two tennis balls on the dash. So many people are dedicated to finding the hairy kid no matter his whereabouts or condition. The way I have always looked at this search is that it's not about me or how people see me as the handler. It's about making it right for Karson. He didn't do anything wrong and he simply got scared because I wasn't around. I've talked to a hundred or more K9 officers since the beginning of this and they've all said the same thing. Our dogs miss us, they crave our closeness and accessibility. When we are not around they get stressed and want to find us. That's all Karson was doing, trying to find me. I'm out there every day giving him the chance, but I have to get close. Keep looking..."

That's so sad

This is happening right in our back yard, so to speak. It's heart wrenching trying to imagine what you or your dog are going through. We've been getting updates from our friends in local law enforcement. Wish there was something we could do that wouldn't involve getting in the way other than being vigilant and ready to call 911 if we spot him. I pray for a good outcome to all of this.

I seen where Officer Popp posted the latest update:

"Just a recap of today's events...We confirmed a sighting of Karson in the Greene County area. Good witness gave a good description of Karson and it appears as if he is still on the move. He's being a pain (I'm used to that) but it's good to hear he's out there and eating. However, another possible sighting in the Spring Valley area did not pan out and Karson was not detected. Still, everyone is still out there looking and we followed up on 5 sightings today. There WAS an authorized aircraft checking the area today for those of you that have suggested it, but Karson was not sighted. We saw quite a few tennis balls on the dash today and the support is coming in hourly. I received a letter in my mailbox today from the daughter of a former FBI agent, Jared R. Porter, who was killed in the line of duty in 1979. She sent the letter from Arizona and wanted to tell me how supportive she was and how she knew what it was like to lose someone in law enforcement. I was brought to tears. There are truly those who understand that Karson is not just a dog. People who have never met me, seen me or heard of me until last month are there for me and my department. If a daughter in Arizona won't give up hope, then I expect no one else will. Thank you..."

Today's update:
"Today it has been one month since Karson went looking for me. A news reporter asked me a few days ago how I was holding up over Karson being gone. I told him I was angry, confused, exhausted and that I felt cheated. Fourteen months of school, training and effort gone in a few short seconds. That reporter was simply there doing his job, and the thousands of others waiting for Karson to come home will never feel how I feel now. They don't know what it's like to have him breathing on the floor next to me as he sleeps or watch him kick his legs while dreaming. What it's like to have him push the shower curtain back with his nose while I'm getting ready for work. To sit next to me as I get my uniform or watch me get my gunbelt on while he lays on my bed. Every morning watching him stand up on the kitchen sink and wait for me to fill up his water bowl because he's thirsty. They won't understand how much fun it is to let him out at the fire station to poop as he constantly eyeballs me. He knows when he's done we race back to the cruiser in a competition to see who can get there first. He never poops too far away from me so I don't get too big of a head start, but regardless, I never win that race. Just the daily driving around with him listening to the radio, teaching him about music that he'll never understand anything about. I can talk to him all day long and bitch about life, people, the job or whatever and he'll just listen without judging. I've told him more secrets than I care to remember. The feeling that no matter where I walk he is there by my hip. And right now he isn't there. No one will ever know the pain of how it felt on November 18th to be the one who took him to that kennel, walked him into the cage and closed the door, assuming I would be back to take him home in a few days. Maybe I'm venting and people say I shouldn't blame myself, but any K9 handler will tell you they would have felt like they abandoned their partner that day. So it is what it is..."

Poor guy is still out there. This weather and he has not had a drink of clean water or a decent meal in over a month
From yesterday ~ midnight Officer Popp posted:
"Today was an extremely long day and we did a lot of running around to possible sightings. I can tell you Karson is close once again to his home and I'm praying he just walks up the driveway soon. The weather is not going to be as bad as predicted and I'm so grateful for that. If he was lost in New York right now I wouldn't be able to breathe from uncontrollable fear and worry. Tomorrow is another day closer to bringing him back to the warm home he deserves. It's going to happen and I'm not losing faith..."

FWIW,

Several years ago, I picked up a nice Shepherd pup that had been on the lam for about a month. He was actually in pretty good shape.

One of the people in a block of condos to the south of where I live trapped him in an open garage where he was looking for food. He brought him to the place where, 'all the Shepherds were'. Nice pup about 6-7 months old. No real ID outside of a county dog tag. I was, however, able to use that to find the owner. If he hadn't had that tag, I'd probably still have him. Last I heard, his owner let him get out again and he didn't fare so well that time.

Here is Officer Popps latest reports:
"Sometimes you just have to try and outsmart the fox. You can't spend forever chasing him, you have to let him chase you. Karson, has to come home because this weather and cold is not for him. It's certainly not for me, but we push through this winter regardless and keep doing everything possible to bring him back. I absolutely know in my heart and mind that he's still out there and we are going to bring him in. Every single day I get calls and reports of sightings because the K9 Karson community is out there watching every street, every neighborhood and every empty field. I'm confident this is going to end soon and end well..


It's always unbelievable how much support comes in to me, sometimes out of the blue. When you're out in the cold walking in the woods and you get a phone call from a man whom you've never met or knows anything about you, it's like a warm blanket being thrown across your shoulders. Thank you Fairborn PD..."

Update from this morning:
Good morning everyone, and of course we are out in the rain doing the job to bring Karson home. I want to clarify some information and explain some things. First, know that I read every post, comment or message I receive on K9 Karson. They are important to me not only for the mental support but for figures on the numbers out there looking. Secondly, I receive messages every day from folks who have just read K9 Karson for the first time and are suggesting things that we have already initiated or surpassed. So many of you have requested that I post a more narrowed search area to kook for Karson. Please understand that we're dealing with a dog that has historically moved a distance of over 10 miles in less than two days and can run in excess of 25 mph. He's athletic and structured to run. The idea is to get Karson to return to areas where he has been comfortable and not felt pressured to leave by people on foot. Our goal is to determine a pattern so we can anticipate his future travel as opposed to trailing behind him. Lastly, to give anyone a specific location of where we think he currently is, is not impossible but complicated. So many factors are in play to include traffic, weather, food motivations and water supplies. We would be putting ourselves at a disadvantage if we restricted ourselves to a small radius when we know he can travel great distances. This is why we always ask people to watch in broad areas like "Greene County" or "Xenia" not specific streets or neighborhoods. This catches Karson in a traveling mode and where we get the most sightings. I will never, ever ask Team Karson to stop searching because we need sightings every day so I know where to move. We appreciate all of the sightings that we are receiving as you go about your daily activities, because this is how we generate most of our sightings. We WILL find him. We are not giving up.

http://wnewsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?avis=OS&date=20150129&category=news&lopenr=301299926&Ref=AR

Most recent update from Officer Popp:
"As always I'm thinking about the cold air and the potential for snow moving in on Saturday night. I've heard everything from 3-10 inches by Sunday. I supposed it doesn't bother me as much as it might bother Karson. I've lived all over the world in some of the coldest places you can imagine. Of course, Belgium wasn't exactly a Caribbean home for Karson for his first two years either, so things could be worse. People ask me every day what motivates me to keep going. I always tell them it's because I'm trying to make this right for Karson and to bring him back to where he belongs. So we keep going, looking, watching and hoping..."