CONGERS - Argo, a 1-year-old yellow Lab brimming with enthusiasm, has joined Clarkstown Police Department's K-9 team.
The dog, formally introduced Sept. 10 outside the town's K-9 Corrals dog park, is trained in tracking and evidence recovery. He's also on his way to the Orange County Sheriff's explosive detection school in the coming weeks.
Clarkstown Police Officer Thomas O'Connell, Argo's partner, said the dog has already successfully tracked a domestic violence suspect who had left the scene.
Clarkstown Chief James Fay called young Argo "a good ambassador" for the department as the dog accepted pets from a town worker and then rolled over for more. "It's a pleasure to have a quality young dog," Fay said.
Clarkstown Det. Mike Keane helped select
Argo. He's now partnered with K-9 Jax, a German shepherd who is now 8. The town also has K-9 Drogo, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois/Shepherd mix.
Keane said Jax and Argo have different temperaments — which he described as "pointy eared vs. floppy eared." Argo is more social, and surely perceived by people as snuggly. But, Keane said, both are multi-faceted. Argo, he said, can be used for "everything but the apprehension work."
O'Connell, who is a first-time K-9 officer, had embraced the role. "I'm always amazed by the capabilities of the dog," he said as Argo looked up at him for direction. "I'm looking forward to a long and awesome career with my partner Argo."
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Meet Argo, Clarkstown Police Department's newest K-9 officer
