LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — There’s a new addition to the Little Rock Police Department, and he’s got plenty of energy and a heart made for service.

After the 2023 tornado tore through Central Arkansas, Little Rock police said recovery efforts took too long and required too much manpower. That challenge sparked a new idea.

That new idea now has four legs, a wagging tail, and a nose for finding people in need— his name is Radar, and he’s the state’s first police search and rescue dog.

Radar, a 14-month-old black lab, joined the department’s Special Operations Division in April. Unlike most police K-9s trained for narcotics or criminal apprehension, Radar’s focus is on helping and not hunting.

“We’ll never use Radar to track a criminal, because that’s not what his instinct is,” said Officer Tom

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