The newest staffers of the DeKalb County District Attorney’s Office are calm, cool, and cuddly!
In a partnership with the Newnan-based CAREing Paws , the DeKalb County DA’s Office now has seven Courthouse Therapy Dogs fully on duty to help crime victims and witnesses on their journeys through the criminal justice system. The dogs even have their own badges!
The dogs and their handlers were officially sworn in by DeKalb County Probate Judge Bedelia Hargrove on Tuesday, January 16, but have been making their presences felt for the past four months. Last October, they started monthly “stress-buster” visits with the DA’s staff, allowing District Attorney Sherry Boston to see her goal of getting the courthouse therapy dogs pay off in multiple ways.
“While these visits may seem like a fun distraction in an office setting, we know they are incredibly therapeutic,” says Boston. “Working in the law enforcement space can be extremely taxing.”
The DA notes that their office works with people who have lost loved ones to violence or have themselves been victimized, and staffers are there to guide them through some of the most difficult times of their lives, working to get them the resolution they deserve so they can move forward and heal.