Died 10\/2\/16
\nHandler – Deputy Jerry Darst<\/p>\n
Gallia County canine deputy passes away Sunday after battling kidney issues<\/p>\n
Gallia County sheriff\u2019s deputies bid a fond farewell Sunday over the radio to K-9 Deputy Argo after the dog passed away that same day after battling kidney issues.
\nArgo would have turned 6 years old in December and served with his partner and handler, Gallia Deputy Jerry Darst. \u201cIt took a while to (get used to each other),\u201d Darst said. \u201cHe came from Pine Kennel Grove that Steve Heater (runs). Steve said he was going to be a hard dog (to work with). He was a bit standoffish, but once we got together, he wouldn\u2019t let anyone else fool with him. He was handler sensitive and protective of me. It was like he was attached to my hip.\u201d Darst related one story in which he and Argo were searching a structure to make certain it was clear of potential suspects. Darst had made note of a ladder leading up to an attic and told his colleague deputy he was going to climb into the attic to make sure no one was up there. Argo climbed up right beside him with no beckoning because he wanted to make certain he was at Darst\u2019s side. Darst said no one would have believed Argo had done that if a fellow deputy not been there to witness it. At the time, Darst said Argo had not been trained to climb ladders and the decision was made by the dog. Darst told another story in which Argo was sitting inside the cruiser with Darst and a man had come up to pat Darst on the shoulder. Argo roughed up the interior of the vehicle in protest, thinking the man was going to hurt Darst. \u201cHe wasn\u2019t very sociable,\u201d Darst said. \u201cHe was kind of a street dog and he was all about business.\u201d The deputy said even when another dog was present as Argo was attempting to scent out a target, he was more fixated on getting the job done than worrying about another dog barking at him. The deputy noted the extreme loyalty of his partner and, despite some of his rougher aspects, their bond was unbreakable. Darst said Argo could even be protective of money collected after a bust. \u201cIf he thought someone was going to hurt me, that wasn\u2019t going to happen,\u201d Darst said. \u201cHe was hell-bent on being by my side. When we were together on patrol, I never worried because I knew he was there for me.\u201d Darst said Argo had a way about him when he knew a person was hiding in a structure. He would not want to leave the spot until he convinced his handler otherwise. Between the pair, they seized around $35,000 in cash at various drug and traffic stops, not including firearms or drugs they discovered. Argo was available to assist village police departments as well as the Ohio State Highway Patrol when necessary. He had assisted with police operations outside of Gallia County, as well. Argo started to work with Darst when he was roughly 2\u00bd years old. Argo retired in early April due to continuing health problems. \u201cIt\u2019s been pretty rough (with the loss of Argo) and you try to be tough,\u201d Darst said. \u201cI just feel like a part of me died. You spend two years going to work with somebody every day, it\u2019s hard. There was a care from him you couldn\u2019t beat. \u201cThere was just this loyalty and a bond with him. I loved that dog and he loved me. He served the community well and I like to think he made a difference. I\u2019m just glad I can give him a little respect and honor.\u201d Argo joins Jeck, another recently passed deputy K-9, with honors from the Gallia Sheriff\u2019s Office. Deputies held a final call for Argo on Sunday. \u201cGallia County to all listening personnel. This is a final call for K-9 Argo of the Gallia County Sheriff\u2019s Office as he reports to his final duty station,\u201d crackled a voice on the radio. \u201cK-9 Argo passed away today, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016, after two years of service. He carries with him our gratitude and appreciation for his sacrifice to protect and serve Gallia County, his handler Deputy Darst and the community. K-9 Argo is three-seven-four-three for the final time. God bless and rest in peace.\u201d Thirty-seven and 43 are Argo and Darst\u2019s parting code numbers as they signed off every shift on the radio. Thirty-seven stands for off-duty and 43 means a deputy has returned home. \u201cWe were fortunate to have our time with him,\u201d said Gallia Sheriff Joe Browning. \u201cHe actually was responsible for quite a few drug seizures and criminal apprehensions. Argo was a good dog.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Died 10\/2\/16 Handler – Deputy Jerry Darst Gallia County canine deputy passes away Sunday after battling kidney issues Gallia County sheriff\u2019s deputies bid a fond farewell Sunday over the radio to K-9 Deputy Argo after the dog passed away that same day after battling kidney issues. Argo would have turned 6 years old in December …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2283,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[11],"class_list":["post-2281","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-k9memorial","tag-oh"],"yoast_head":"\n