Touching New Video by Purina Dog Chow Focuses on Relationship Between Pasadena Police K-9 “Brock” and His Handler Officer Brown

The touching relationship between Brock, a German Shepherd attached to the Pasadena Police Department K9 Section and his handler, Pasadena Police officer Tom Brown is the subject of short video by Purina Dog Chow published to YouTube on Thursday.

Brock is one of four police service dogs or “canines” currently serving with the K9 Section of the Pasadena Police Department. Joining Brock in patrolling the city streets are Belgian Trevuren “Figo” and his handler Officer Steve Arcand, Belgian Malanois “Nico” and his partner Officer Matt Widger, and “Kyra” a female Dutch Shepherd and her handler Officer Lynda Mercado.

Several of the K-9’s were acquired by the Pasadena Police Department through the financial support from the Pasadena Police Foundation.

The police service dogs now serving with the Pasadena Police Department have received very specific training.

“Figo” started with the Police Department in January 2010, “Nico” in January 2013, and “Brock” in September 2014. “Kyra” was certified for explosives detection in May last year. Meanwhile. both “Figo” and “Nico” are crossed trained in patrol and narcotics while “Brock” is crossed trained in patrol and explosives detection.

“He’s (Brock) already ready to go without even being told sitting at his back gate waiting for me and he pretty much knows by that time of the morning by when we’re getting up we’re going to work,” says Brown about Brock in the short Purina Dog Chow video.

“I know that he’s gonna go out and work hard for me. He’s dialed in. He knows what he’s going out to do and I can count on them,” added Brown.

Brown also noted the support being given by Purina Dog Chow to the Pasadena Police Department and the National Police Dog Foundation.

“I think it’s great that we get the help that we do from Purina Dog Chow to help our canine partners like Brock to know that he’s going to be able to get the medical attention that he’s going to need later on in his retired life,” he said.

In 2000 Officer Brown and his then partner “Art” a Czech Shepherd worked until January 2010 and made numerous suspect and narcotics arrests.

The Pasadena Police Department K9 Section had its humble beginnings in 1991 when Officer Joseph Allard and his narcotic sniffing partner named “Rocky” an 11-month old English Springer Spaniel hit the streets of Pasadena.

After four years and an estimated one million dollars in drug related arrest, Rocky retired and paved the way for two new patrol and narcotics dogs. In May of 1996 Officer Henry Rosner and Officer Dave Thomas were the first to deploy patrol dogs (German Shepherds) in the city of Pasadena. “Lex” Rosner’s dog worked for four years before he and his partner retired. “Aron” Thomas’ dog worked for six years and had numerous suspect apprehensions.

According to the Pasadena Police, the canine or police service dog is a very important tool in the apprehension of suspects, illegal narcotics, and or explosives. Their olfactory senses are very efficient which allows them to accomplish tasks that would take several officers and a whole lot of time to do. These service dogs keep the officers safe and when properly trained and utilized could save a department anywhere between 500-1000 man hours a year, the police department said.

Assisting the Pasadena Police in taking care of their police service dogs is the National Police Dog Foundation which started as the Ventura Police Dog Foundation in 1998 which helped fund the K-9 program of the City of Ventura.

In addition, many cities in Ventura County lacked budgets to fund their K-9 programs in their entirety, so the foundation expanded and became the Police Dog Foundation. Not only did police departments lack the initial funds to purchase and train a dog, many did not have a budget for serious medical issues. This continues to be the same circumstance today throughout the US, so the foundation expanded again and became the National Police Dog Foundation. The National Police Dog Foundation began to support K-9 units throughout the United States in 2004.

The mission of the National Police Dog Foundation is to raise funds, promote education and awareness for the purchase, training and on-going veterinary care for active and retired police K-9s.

The video, which was produced in partnership between Purina Chow and the Pasadena Police Department to showcase the National Police Dog Foundation, was uploaded Thursday by the Police Department.