KGUN 9News

Actions

Pima County Sheriff's Department will add a new four-legged furry member to the team

Posted at 3:54 PM, Aug 23, 2017
and last updated 2017-08-23 18:58:21-04

The Pima County Sheriff's Department will add a new, four-legged and furry, member to their team.

Meet our newest department member!https://t.co/Y53cIEOqra pic.twitter.com/jKxNnnolMG

— Pima County Sheriff (@PimaSheriff) August 23, 2017

This dog will be assigned to the Mental Health Support Team and will undergo training to learn obedience, the ins and outs of being a therapy dog, and how to be a first responder, according to PCSD

According to a Facebook post made by PCSD: 

His main mission will be to encourage decompression from traumatic events and promote calming interactions during abnormal situations. MHST believes that he will be particularly helpful in circumstances where vulnerable victims or witnesses are having a difficult time opening up or coping with what they have been through.

According to PCSD, there are few law enforcement agencies in the U.S. that have a program like this one. A gift from Cenpatico Integrated Care is what is making the addition of this Crisis Response Canine to the Mental Health Support Team possible, according to PCSD.