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DICKSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — To protect and serve is a universal law enforcement motto. In Dickson County, that isn’t just limited to humans.
In such a large and primarily rural county, deputies frequently deal with animals, often making a difference.
That was the case on Monday, July 6, when Sgt. Austin Murphy from the Dickson County Sheriff’s Office was on patrol and came across a turtle in the road.
The veteran law enforcement officer could have easily driven around the animal, but instead, he put on his emergency lights, pulled over on the empty road, and helped the four-legged creature.
“Rather than just drive around him, I just decided to go ahead and hurry him across the roadway,” Murphy recalled.
Body camera footage shows the deputy picking up the turtle and carrying him to his destination: the other side of the road. Murphy even talked to the turtle, calling him “buddy.”
“I told him it wasn’t wise for him to be in the road and he needed to move out of the roadway,” Murphy told News 2 with a grin.
When asked why he did it, the husband and father said, “It’s not necessarily anything that’s impressive by law enforcement means, but it’s something that I feel passionate about. I feel a strong duty to protect the wildlife here in Dickson County. Not only do I serve here in Dickson County and I work here in Dickson County, but Dickson County is my home.”
This turtle encounter happened just a few days after another Dickson County deputy arrived at a call involving a deer in a fence.
“I got contact with a baby deer,” Deputy Nicholas Hall stated in the bodycam video from Wednesday, July 1.
According to authorities, the fawn had suffered some minor injuries and was laying down by the fence when Hall arrived.
“Come here, baby. Come here,” Hall said to the creature.
The deputy attempted to corral the animal, but when he got close, it moved away, ultimately darting into the woods.
With regard to helping animals, Murphy told News 2, “It’s very rewarding. I tell people all the time, this is one of the most rewarding jobs that you can do with your life. [I] come to work every day and I’m excited to serve the citizens of Dickson County and to make my community a better place.”
There is no word on what happened to the turtle following its encounter with Murphy on Monday.
However, law enforcement told News 2 that the fawn from last week was able to get back into the woods, where it is believed to have reunited with its mother.
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