With the subject of mental health becoming a more prevalent social topic, agencies across the country have begun to shift their protocol to include more empathetic and de-escalating tactics.

The local Oswego Police Department has continued to incorporate the philosophy of gentle resolvement when addressing mental health crises by making an unprecedented local move with the addition of their newest academy recruit, K9 Donny, a young goldendoodle. Donny will be the department’s first therapy dog, whose mission lies in supporting “child and adult victims as well as those in [the] community in crisis, and those who may experience a critical incident or traumatic event,” according to a press release by the City of Oswego. 

The implementation of therapy dogs has seen initial success in vulnerable crime cases, in particular when the victim of abuse is a child. In a revolutionary 2011 New York court case, golden retriever Rosie accompanied a fifteen-year-old traumatized sexual assault victim testifying publicly against her father. Specially trained to comfort these vulnerable individuals, Rosie stood alongside the adolescent throughout the entirety of the trial, which ultimately ended in the conviction of the defendant. 

While Rosie herself was not a swaying factor in the decision of the court, her role cannot be undermined. According to a research article by The Journal of School Nursing (a bimonthly peer-reviewed nursing journal), “in addition to the increased comfort and safety experienced typically by the witness, often the dog reduces stress and anxiety enabling the witness to verbalize and process information including questions more effectively. The end result is more effective communication on the stand that aids the judicial process because it results in more complete testimony.”

Therapy dogs in police departments have also been recognized as useful companions in the decompression of stress and hardship felt by law enforcement, especially after tough or strenuous calls. In a 2015 thesis publication by the Commonwealth Honors Program of Salem State University, “Police officers suffering from strain would benefit from the social support [Animal-Assisted Therapy]… provides. Dog companionship provides role enhancement, social support and physical activity, all of which buffer the adverse effects of strain.” 

Donny’s recruitment to the Oswego Police Department was not made just to introduce a furry friend to the local officers; Mayor of Oswego City Billy Barlow emphasized in a news release that the introduction of “a therapy dog to the Oswego police department is not only a worthwhile investment in our employees but also provides a wonderful new resource for our officers who experience and endure so much while serving our community.” 

Mental health emergencies in Oswego county are noted to be starkly higher than the statewide average. In a 2020 briefing to the county’s Mental Hygiene Services division, adult mental health (MH) ER visits had declined to 16% over the state average in 2020 from 23% over the average in 2018, while youth MH ER visit rates continued to rise. In 2020, the youth MH ER visit rate had jumped dramatically to 121% over the state average, a far cry from the 88% it had once rested at in 2018.  

It is the hope of the Oswego Police Department that with the deployment of K9 Donny and future resources, mental health emergencies will begin a trend of declinement. Although still early into his training, K9 Donny’s introduction has turned a new leaf as to how the locality will approach the topic of mental crisis, as “the need for innovative solutions to support mental health in [the] community” has been made abundantly clear, per the official release of Oswego.

Photo via: City of Oswego