DUKE ON A MISSION : Bringing Comfort, Helping People Karen Sturtevant
W
here do you find comfort? Is it in a trusted family member or friend, at the bottom of a quart of ice cream, during a sweaty physical workout, or perhaps after a good cry? When I was a toddler my mother gave me ‘red blankie.’ I carried that thing everywhere, giving me comfort. My anxious rescue dog takes her choice of stuffed animals with her when we venture into the world. Whether it’s a pink primate we named Creepy Monkey or a small white cat appropriately called Kitty Kitty, she’s comforted with her little buddy. For dog lovers, we know the value of having a cherished companion in our lives. With a wagging tail and soulful eyes, they are always happy to be with us. Never judgmental, always endearing. The bond created is much like that of child and parent. Simply being near a friendly dog brings solace. When the possibility of pioneering a comfort dog program in the Williston Police Department arose, Officer Matthew Cohen, a ten-year department veteran, was intrigued. When Williston Police Chief Patrick Foley gave the green light for the program, the search for the perfect candidate began. The functions of a comfort dog are to provide interaction during situations involving children and adults impacted by violence, tragedy, or traumatic events and to reduce anxiety and increase communication between the victim/witness and investigators. The pursuit would conclude in May 2020 when Officer Cohen drove to the highlyregarded Boonefield Labradors in Rindge, New Hampshire to welcome an eight-weekold fluff ball called Green Puppy. Known for their charity and quality of English Labradors, owners Peggi and David Brogan have gifted several puppies to law enforcement agencies. Duke was number eleven. Upon arrival in his new home and thanks to the students in Williston schools, Green Puppy will now be forever known as Duke. A year later, I met with the team to find out what this pup’s first year has been like, the triumphs and challenges. We were greeted at the gazebo in front of Williston Central School, where Duke has been a regular guest. On this sunlit day, Duke was wearing his official neon green and black dog-in-training vest along with a shiny gold badge affixed to his collar. 18 4 Legs & a Tail
Officer Cohen, Karen and Duke
Gone was the furry puppy. In his place, a mature, blocky-headed handsome canine. Duke busied himself with chewing sticks and tree bark pieces while trotting from person to person. Photographer, Kelly Hinds, made duck sounds to get his attention and snapped photos—lots of photos. Despite restrictions due to the pandemic, the past year has been productive. The team has been in attendance with regular training sessions at Thin Blue Line K9 under the supervision of the owner, Tom Radford. First came basic puppy obedience, then agility activities to build confidence, and finally, exposure training intended to confront any fears. “We have a very confident, young dog here,” comments Officer Cohen. Along with his current recognition of AKC Canine Good Citizen, another goal for Duke is to receive certification in therapy dog work. Potential therapy dogs are screened, evaluated, and trained in order to attain certification. Deb Helfrich at Gold Star Dog Training has been preparing the team with lessons in developing new skills needed for his designation. Duke will be asked to show his skills in
obedience and basic commands, conduct impulse control with other dogs and control his tendency to be overly excited when people approach him. The Golden Rule: four feet on the floor. Boonefield Labradors is an affiliated partner with Alliance of Therapy Dogs, an international registry of certified therapy dog teams. Officer Cohen and Duke may travel to Duke’s birthplace for their testing. Duke’s primary job is to be himself and in doing so bring smiles and help relieve stress in upsetting situations. The comfort dog is a valuable tool in fostering dialog and communications between the police department and the community. Duke’s first mission was to visit the Vermont National Guard and Vermont Food Bank while the staff was issuing ready-to-eat meals to the public. He’s helped children feel loved after their parent was arrested, soothed the nerves of crash victims, consoled first responders after the loss of one of their own, and help relieve tensions of students and staff as they returned to school in the fall of 2020. “Just for a few minutes of taking someone’s mind off what just happened/what they just witnessed is important. Sometimes he acts like a goofy Lab, other times he’s stoic and calm and just there. It’s very interesting as his handler to watch,” explains Officer Cohen. Being the first law enforcement agency in Vermont to offer a comfort dog program is uncharted territory. Officer Cohen keeps expert records on Duke’s accomplishments and training. The first year of service was active with 117 total deployments (29 school visits, 68 community engagements, 20 emergency responses). A noteworthy case involved Duke rendering comfort on the side of a road. After a driving-under-the-inf luence (DUI) stop where a parent was arrested, Duke stayed with the two children who were passengers in the car. Duke remained with the children roadside until the other parent arrived. Upon follow-up by the Vermont Department of Children and Families, the children recall interacting with Duke, not the arrest of the parent.“ You can’t put a number on how much that interaction helped those kids through that process. What could have been a traumatic event with a parent being arrested became a positive interSummer 2021
