"Looks Like a Missing Person"... Police Officer Returning by Bus Spots Elderly Dementia Patient with Sharp Eyesight

Missing report for elderly dementia patient leads to failed search
Safe return thanks to police officer's diligent work on commute home

A story has emerged about a rookie police officer who, with keen observation, safely returned a 70-year-old dementia patient who had lost his way and wandered in the middle of the city back home.

On the 31st, the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency announced that Police Officer Jo Hye-shin of the Geumgwang District Unit, Seongnam Jungwon Police Station, safely returned the dementia patient home around 6:30 a.m. on the 16th of last month after finishing an overnight night shift. The Gyeonggi Nambu Police Agency uploaded bus black box footage capturing the incident on their official YouTube channel.

A rookie police officer on their way home from work discovered a dementia patient in their 70s and safely handed them over to their family. YouTube Gyeonggi Nambu Police capture

Officer Jo was sitting by the window seat on the bus on her way home, as usual, staring blankly outside, momentarily resting her tired body and mind. At that moment, she noticed an elderly man precariously walking along the roadside of an eight-lane road outside the window. The man seemed exhausted, holding onto a road safety post to catch his breath, then dangerously stepped onto the road where cars were passing. She recalled a radio message she had received during her night shift. It was a missing person report received around 6:30 p.m. the previous day: "My husband, Mr. A (78), who has dementia symptoms, disappeared while we were at the mart picking out items."

At that time, the police issued an urgent dispatch order 'Code 1' to conduct a search and inquiry around the mart as quickly as possible. Officer Jo also participated in the search but could not find Mr. A until dawn the next day. However, on her way home, Officer Jo spotted an elderly man who resembled Mr. A. To confirm if the man was indeed Mr. A, she immediately contacted the district unit to verify his description. After getting confirmation, she got off at the next stop without hesitation, approached the elderly man, confirmed he was Mr. A, guided him to the sidewalk, and protected him until the police arrived.

Thanks to this, Mr. A was safely reunited with his family 12 hours after going missing without any significant physical issues. Mr. A’s wife expressed her gratitude to the police, saying, "My husband could have been in a dangerous situation, but thanks to the police officer who remembered his description and helped even after her shift, we were able to find him safely." Officer Jo said, "My value is to be a police officer who does their part, even if not the best," adding, "When I saw Mr. A on the bus, I thought I would regret it if I didn’t check, so I got off at the next stop and met him. Anyone who knew an elderly man was missing would have done the same, even if they weren’t a police officer." She continued, "I’m glad Mr. A was able to safely return to his family," and added, "I will continue to be a police officer who works hard for the safety of the people."