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Local 983 member saves toddler from pit bull

A father’s frantic cry for help as a ferocious pit bull leaped toward his four-year-old daughter caught Local 983 PEP Officer William Guzman by surprise on Dec. 6, but his response was immediate. He rushed the bloodthirsty beast and saved the little girl’s life.

Guzman darted from his vehicle at Orloff Avenue and Van Cortlandt Park South in the Bronx and jumped in front of the attacking canine, putting his own flesh on the line as the father picked up his toddler and fled.

The agile animal dashed past Guzman, got to the child and bit her ankles. Desperate to keep his baby safe, the father dove to the ground and used his large frame to shield the girl’s entire body from the pit bull. The vicious dog tore into the man’s leg and wrenched away a chunk of his calf muscle.

Guzman charged the dog, striking it with his baton and bare fists and spraying it with Mace until the brute backed off. He radioed for help and an ambulance arrived quickly.

Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe commended Guzman by naming him an “Employee of the Month,” but the girl’s family calls him a hero.

“I don’t consider myself a hero,” said Guzman. “When I see something, I’m able to keep calm, think things through and react.” Guzman, who has been a Parks Enforcement Patrol Officer for two years, hopes to move up in law enforcement. With his quick response in the face of danger, any beat he walks will be lucky to have him.