Police departments around the country are upgrading their K-9 arsenal with dogs that are meant to be pet, and many are trained in Columbus.
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Department became the first police department in Ohio to have a therapy dog in 2017. Two years later, Columbus police joined with their own and the two began to train therapy dogs for different agencies in the state and beyond. The program has expanded substantially over the past five years.
Mike Paulins, a Columbus police officer who helps train the therapy dogs, said they have various uses both internally helping officers in the department and externally with people in the community.
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He said this can be a tool for those in an officer-involved shooting, boost overall officer morale and sometimes assist people in the Columbus Fire Department.
Externally, they can help victims and witnesses of almost any crime, provide victim assistance in courtrooms including being pet by witnesses on the stand, and community relations involving education and PR.