4OurHeroes: Torrance Police K9 Brings Smiles to Kids' Faces

Argos, an 18-month-old Belgian Malinois, is the latest K9 graduate at the Torrance Police Department.

This week's hero is one with a "nose" for fighting crime. He's the newest K9 member of the Torrance Police Department.

"His job is to help us find people and to help us find things and he does it with his nose," said Officer Cameron Pigdon, K-9 handler for Torrance Police Department.

Argos, an 18-month-old Belgian Malinois, is the latest K9 graduate at the Torrance Police Department.

"He's still brand new and we are still learning,” said Pigdon.

Argos is trained to catch suspects and find evidence.

"His main job is to find people and to find things," said Pigdon.

But off the beat, he's a friendly, social dog who is perfect to show at events like the children's therapy camp in Rolling Hills. There, he lends a helping paw to children with disabilities.

"He's just like your dogs at home the only difference is he's had a bit of training," said Pigdon.

Camp Escapades is a day camp for children with special needs. They host a show and tell that comes complete with SWAT vehicles and police cars. 

"I can see why people don't want to sit in the police car because the seat is like hard plastic,” said Parker Patel, Camp Escapades camper.

It’s an event the police department has done at the camp for more than ten years.

"They love it when they see all the toys so to speak. It’s like a jungle gym to them," Lt. Charles Fisher, K-9 commander.

Still, the highlight is always the police dog.

"It's the dog. We get a lot of excitement and smiles and happy faces so it makes us happy," 

Terri Nishimura, the founder of Pediatric Therapy Network, said the kids "are very curious about what the police do because they might only see them in a situation that may not be in a positive light, right?"

Pigdon said that he wants the kids to "see us all as their friends and people they can talk to, that we are just regular people and that we are here for them." 

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