Police dogs will help relieve stress and PTSD

Police Chief Edwin Roessler (center) at a briefing on a new K9 program. [FCPD]

The Fairfax County Police Department has five new K9 recruits – Jack, Holmes, Lennie, Indy, and Sully.

The dogs will be deployed to help reduce the effects of a traumatic event, including fear and anxiety, for first responders and community members, said Chief of Police Col. Edwin C. Roessler Jr. at a briefing Aug. 13.

Lennie will help people cope with stress.

The program is a partnership with First Responder K9, a nonprofit that is providing the dogs to the FPCD at no cost and is also covering the dog’s medical care and other expenses.

The dogs will go through a two-year training program to meet ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) requirements for service dogs.

After they are trained, Indy, Lennie, and Sully will go to retired, disabled police officers, sheriff’s deputies, or other first responders to help them with post traumatic stress.

Jack and Holmes will act as therapy dogs and will be deployed as needed for critical incidents locally, or if necessary, at a regional or national level, the FCPD states. They will “help de-escalate the often strong emotions and stress that come with horrific events.”

The dogs are assigned to the FCPD’s Incident Support Service Section, which also includes psychologists, police chaplains, the family assistance support team, and other services to help officers and their families maintain wellness during and after critical incidents.

Sully

“It’s important to understand the stigma of mental health,” Roessler said, “especially in the law enforcement profession.”

Suicide is the number cause of death among police officers, Roessler said, and that’s why it’s important to provide mental health services and get rid of that stigma. “It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to seek help.”

The dogs are named in honor of fallen officers or police or fire departments. First Responder K9 invites the public to nominate names for its puppies. Here’s who the new FCPD dogs are named for:
• Jack – Capt. John Kovacs of the Tillsonburg Fire Department in Ontario.
• Holmes – FCPD 2nd Lt. M. Kevin Holmes.
• Indy – the Indianapolis Fire Department.
• Lennie – Sgt. Lenore Barrow Whitehead of the Newport News Police Department.
• Sully – Master Police Officer Michael Garbarino and Detective Vicky Armel, the FCPD officers killed in the line of duty in the parking lot of the Sully District Police Station in 2006.