The Santa Cruz Police Department welcomed their newest police duo to the force. K-9 Argus has been partnered with his police handler, Officer Caitlin McBride. They have successfully completed the Handler/K-9 Patrol course and narcotics detection qualification.
Officer McBride and K-9 Argus
At 6 years old, Argus is a seasoned police K-9. He returns to active duty with new handler Officer McBride. Argus is a Dutch Shepherd from Belgium. Officer McBride is a true Santa Cruz native and has been on duty with SCPD since 2013. Officer McBride also grew up with close ties in the public safety and law business.
Officer McBride and Argus strike a pose at training.
Argus is one of two four-legged fulltime officers at the Santa Cruz Police Department. K-9 Lobo, a German Shepherd works with his handler Officer Rodriguez. Each dog is partnered with a human handler to form a K-9 unit. Police handlers are trained to work with their K-9 partners and provide for the care and feeding of their partners when they are off-duty. "A lot of work is involved in the training” said Officer McBride. "It's day in and day out, not just 9-5. It puts a big responsibility on the handlers to bond with and train the dogs."
As full time officers, the K-9 units are force multipliers to any size police department with their ability to track suspects, search and clear buildings, assist other officers and locate narcotics. K-9s also protect officers simply with their presence. Even the most determined criminals are uneasy about resisting arrest by a well-trained patrol dog. "Argus has to earn his Kibbles," said Office McBride. "He's a focused, easy going dog that loves to play. But when it's time to work, he's on and ready to go."
SCPD’s dog and handler learn to work as a team in crucial areas of specialty police work. Both the handlers and K-9 police dogs are prepared to be on-call around the clock whenever their services are needed.
In addition to fighting crime, K-9 police officers are also important in strengthening the relationship between police departments and our community. K-9s are valuable members of SCPD. They are ambassadors for police and public safety through outreach opportunities that range from school demonstrations to special events.
