The newest member of Argyle ISD’s police squad has four legs, a full coat of fur and a desire to serve.
Stitch, a K-9 unit, was sworn in at Argyle ISD’s regular board meeting on Monday. He will be tasked with security duties and social interactions.
Argyle ISD Police Chief Eli Davis said the K-9 unit process has been in the works for several months. He also introduced Stitch’s designated handler, Officer Preston Saber.
“It’s super exciting,” said Davis. “We came to [the board] earlier to rebuild our police pay scale for this moment. We wanted to get someone with great experience to head this K-9 project.”
Saber previously handled a K-9 unit at the Little Elm Police Department and will accompany Stitch at all times.
“This highly trained K-9 will serve as an added layer of safety and support across our campuses, helping our students, staff and facilities secure,” said the district via social media. “In addition to safety work, our K-9 will also play an important role in building positive relationships with students and promoting a safe, welcoming school environment.”
According to the district, the K-9’s name might be changed, but he will be called Stitch for now.
“We thought it would be a great idea to allow the district to name our K-9 going forward,” said Davis. “It’s not cruel or anything, it’s as easy as switching the name and continuing to train on that name. But, if you like the name Stitch, feel free to put that down as a suggestion.”
Argyle ISD said the district chose a K-9 unit because it supports campus safety by assisting officers with narcotics detection and search and rescue. It is a proactive program that helps the department address concerns early while also providing a positive and calming presence on campus.
Stitch is not a bite or apprehension dog, so he will never be used for routine discipline or minor student issues.
“We wanted to get a dog that fit the personality of the district and can push our mission forward as far as proactive engagement,” said Davis.
Stitch is 1.5 years old and immediately entered into police K-9 training when he arrived in the United States from Germany.
“He has been raised being trained to do this job,” said Davis.
Argyle ISD welcomes any parent questions about the new K-9 officer, which can be directed to the Argyle ISD Police Department.
