Detective Dan

The following article and pictures are taken from the Arizona Republic, a Phoenix newspaper.

Copyright Tuesday, May 6, 1997: The Arizona Republic

Detective aces test,
finds dog

Boxer lovers salute
hero with roses, cards

By Linda Helser
The Arizona Republic

Ace Ventura or Dan Courtney? For a couple of dozen boxer lovers from around the world, it's absolutely no contest as to who's the real pet detective. Courtney, a 21-year veteran with the Phoenix Police Department, became the paws-down favorite last month after recovering 35 pounds of stolen property -- better known as Gabby. For his trouble he received not only his first dozen, long-stemmed red roses from Gabby's grateful family but cards, letters, photographs and notes from equally happy boxer owners from England to New Zealand.

"It's really fun," said the baffled detective.

Courtney's popularity peaked after Gabby, a 7-year-old female boxer, was spotted by neighbors as she was being dragged by her red collar into a waiting car near owner Gary Johnson's 32nd Street and Union Hills Drive home.

"They saw the people and they got a license number and so we called the police," Johnson said.

Although recovering valuable stolen property for the public is Courtney's business, he never had worked a case of a stolen dog.

"They placed a value of $500 on their dog, but the value wasn't relevant," the detective said. "It's the family pet. And you know when they call up and they're crying on the phone, this has got to be taken care of."

Within hours of receiving the case on April 16, Courtney was able to locate the missing fawn-colored pooch, even though the license number initially led him to a dead-end address. He kept cross-checking the address until he came up with a current address four miles from Johnson's home.

"I finally found the car and a boy outside the apartment with the dog and asked if the dog was his," Courtney said.

When the boy responded that it wasn't and failed to answer other questions in a consistent manner, the detective called Johnson on his cell phone, requesting a detailed description of Gabby.

"I also asked him if his dog was wearing a red collar with white bones on it," Courtney said.

When Johnson confirmed that Gabby was wearing such a collar when she disappeared, Courtney felt sure he had found the right dog. Johnson, who was at work, called his wife on her cell phone. "He found me with a basketful of frozen food," said his wife, Robyn. "But we ran, boom, we're out of there and on our way to get Gabby."

Courtney said the tears never stopped once Robyn Johnson and Gabby were reunited. Theft charges are pending against those who took Gabby. Detective Dan, as he's now more commonly known, thought that was the end of the story.

Not quite. First the roses arrived. "I'll have to admit, I never received red roses from any victim before, that's for sure."

Then the mail started piling up on his desk from Ohio, California, New Mexico, Florida, Minnesota, England, Australia and New Zealand, addressed simply to Detective Dan of the Phoenix Police Department.

"When Gabby disappeared, I put it up on the boxer mailing list on the internet and said that a boxer was stolen and prayers were needed," said Maryann Watkins, a family friend and fellow boxer lover.

About 400 boxer breeders, owners and handlers subscribe to the list, where messages are relayed via e-mail.

"Then Gary called me and said that Gabby had been found and I immediately put out word that Gabby was back and safe and gave the first name and address of the detective who had found her," Watkins said.

Courtney marvels at the show of appreciation. There's the computer generated card that reads: "I don't care if I am lost, as long as Detective Dan is on my case!" And the photograph of a large boxer named Hooch, lounging on an overstuffed sofa. The bubble from his mouth states, "Great job, Dan."
 
Detective Dan Courtney pf the Phoenix Police Department has been thanked by dog lovers from around the world for recovering Gabby and returning the boxer to owner Robyn Johnson. Photos by Suzanne Starr/the Arizona Republic Copyright Tuesday, May 6, 1997

DETECTIVE DAN HONORED
BY BOXER LOVERS WORLDWIDE