K-9 OFFICERS PLAYING TRADING CARDS RIGHT.

Byline: Terry Kanakri Daily News Staff Writer

Officer Dwight Thompson recalls the day he responded to a 911 call that was dialed accidentally by a 4-year-old girl - who trembled with fear when she saw the uniformed policeman at her door.

So he reached into his pocket and gave her a trading card, one with a picture of him and his partner, Max the police dog, sitting next to him beside a shiny black and white police car.

"I gave her a card, and she really loosened up," Thompson said. "She understood we were there to help, that we're not there for a bad reason. It helped her understand that we're the good guys."

The "good guy" image is one that the Police Department is reinforcing across Simi Valley with trading cards that canine officers are passing out to youngsters.

With the help of a $1,000 donation from businessman Robert H. Levonian, the Police Department has printed 2,000 cards of each of its three canine officers along with their German shepherds.

Councilwoman Barbara Williamson said the idea to distribute cards to children comes at a period when the department has gone through some tough times - including the slaying of Officer Michael Clark and the resignations or firing of officers who were linked to an illegal investment scheme.

"We've had a couple of dark days in our department, there's no doubt about it, and hopefully we've seen the last of those," Williamson said. "I think any time that we can do something in the Police Department that has a positive influence in our community, it's worthwhile."

In addition to Thompson and his dog, the cards showcase Officer Sterling Johnson with his canine Charly, and Officer Stephanie Shannon with canine Bodo. The Police Department also has printed 2,000 cards of the three officers standing together behind their canines.

For the past several weeks the department's three canine officers have been handing out the cards to kids in an effort to foster goodwill with Simi Valley youths.

"We want them to feel like they can trust us, that they can depend on us," said Lt. Don Austin, who manages the canine program. "We have kids all the time who are asking for the cards. They're just a real positive influence."

The cards are the size of standard baseball cards, with photographs and names of the police dogs and the officers on the front. On the back collectors can read about the breed, weight, sex and date of birth of the police dogs, along with a brief synopsis of the dogs' history, duties and personalities.

At the end of the synopsis, each card has a "message" from the police dogs.

"Remember kids, Max says: You're not cool, if you don't stay in school," says one.

"Charly says: They can hide drugs, but I can always find them," says another.

"Your friend Bodo says: DARE to be different, say no to drugs and gangs," says the third card.

"We just want the kids to know that those things are important," Austin said. "They are safety messages that you hope the kids will do."

Austin said the cards have become a real hit among many children.

"I think trust has to be the first thing the department wants," Austin said. "If they don't have the trust of the Police Department, then we can't do our job as well as if we had that rapport."

Thompson, who has given away 250 of the cards so far, said they have helped him change some of the stereotyping involving police and their interaction with the community.

"You'll be surprised how many times I'll be sitting in a restaurant and an adult walks in with a child and says, 'That's a police officer, so you'd better be good or you're going to jail,' " he said. "I think it intimidates the kids and makes them think the police are there for bad things. The parents use the police as a scare tactic for the children. We try to swing the impact on children from negative to positive."

Thompson said the cards have made a difference.

"For the most part, the kids say wow, cool," he said. "They're excited."

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PHOTO

Photo (color) Officer Dwight Thompson and his police dog, Max, are some of the Simi Valley Police Department members featured in trading cards. Andy Holzman/Special to the Daily News