'Amazing adventure': DPD K9 Apollo tackles Super Bowl in Vegas

Senior Corporal Angela Arredondo and Apollo at the Super Bowl

Whether you were cheering for Texas native Patrick Mahomes, hoping for a glimpse of Taylor Swift’s boyfriend or rooting for Mr. Irrelevant, the Super Bowl was a raving success by one important metric — hundreds of thousands of sports fans who attended the game or associated parties and other events made it to and from Las Vegas safe and sound. Aside from excessively indulging on food and drink — and, let’s face it, most of that can be attributed to retired Philadelphia Eagle Jason Kelce — participants enjoyed themselves without significant incident.

That was no accident.

Senior Corporal Angela Arredondo, a Preston Hollow neighbor, represented the Dallas Police Department as part of Super Bowl LVIII’s law enforcement team, along with Apollo, her canine partner. Apollo is a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) canine assigned to Love Field.

The need for uniformed law enforcement officers and canine handlers at an event like the Super Bowl is great, so when the TSA posted the request, Arredondo volunteered. DPD has sent one canine team to each of the past four Super Bowls, and with just six bomb-detecting dogs in her unit, Arredondo knew her chances were good. Once she and Apollo arrived in Las Vegas with 80 canine crews from across the country, they were deputized by a U.S. Marshall, giving them official power to serve in the state of Nevada.

“Our job as explosion detection canine teams is to sweep anything that could carry explosives, which is everything,” recalls Arredondo, who examined vehicles, cargo, large trucks, equipment — basically anything that was going into Allegiant Stadium. “If Apollo had responded on anything, I would have notified the bomb techs with us, and they were prepared to manage the situation. We were there strictly looking for explosives. The canines sweep everything before the event starts so we know it is safe for people attending.”

And Arredondo knows all too well about keeping folks safe in Big D.

Arredondo comes from a family of DPD officers, and she followed in her father’s footsteps when she joined the department. She’s spent 25 years with the DPD, including 13 years as a detective. She worked 3 years in homicide, then moved to the Explosive Detection Canine Squad. After a long day at work, she and Apollo, a 6-year-old German Shorthaired Pointer, find refuge at home together.

“Apollo lives with me and my family, and we are together pretty much every minute. It creates a very strong bond to have the canine live with its handler. We have a very dangerous job, and we have each other’s back completely.”

Law enforcement service dogs are often seen at the airport or concerts or sporting events, and children long to play with the animals or give them snacks. Arredondo has a few tips.

“If you see a working canine at an event, you should always ask the handler if you can pet or not. Most will have clear DO NOT PET markings on their harness, and then you already know not to pet and not to even bother asking. Never feed a canine anything. Apollo in particular has a very sensitive stomach and eats special dog food. Anything could make him sick.”

With the Super Bowl over, the city of Dallas is preparing to host nine World Cup soccer games at AT&T Stadium in 2026. Jerry Jones has made no secret that he wants to bring the Super Bowl back to his home turf. Kristin Lowman, DPD’s director of communications, says the department is ready.

“We can only speak to the Dallas Police Department and our preparation during large scale events in our city. Extensive and thorough planning goes into any event within our city to ensure a safe and smooth event for participants. Not only is there coordination between the different division within our department, including patrol and specialty units, but also with other law enforcement agencies and city departments who may be involved.”

She can’t speak about the incidents she and Apollo “may or may not have handled” while they scoured Allegiant Stadium, but Arredondo did have advice for those who frequent big events.

“If you see something, say something. NEVER touch or move a suspicious item, backpack, etc. and immediately notify law enforcement. If you don’t see an officer nearby, always call 911, give the location and description of the item.”

No matter what she and Apollo tackle together next, Arredondo says she wouldn’t trade away their experience in Las Vegas.

“I would just like to share how incredibly grateful I am for this amazing adventure with my partner and best friend,” she says. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of the citizens of Dallas and that of the DPD. It’s always been an honor to serve and protect this city, but with Apollo by my side, it’s even more special. I plan to make many more special journeys with Apollo, and if anyone would like to come along for the ride, they can follow Apollo on Instagram, Twitter/X and TikTok.”