The Shawano Police Department will soon be adding another four-legged employee to hit the streets, but this one won’t be taking down criminals.
The Shawano Common Council voted unanimously May 8 to allow the department to get a therapy dog. According to Police Chief Bradley Rabideau, Officer Brandi Hoffman will be training and caring for the dog, utilizing it in both her duties as school resource officer and for other instances where a therapy dog would be needed.
“The litter was just born the first week in May,” Rabideau said, when council members asked for photos of the dog. “They’re pretty young yet.”
The department will be getting a hypoallergenic labradoodle later this year, once the pups are weaned from their mother and trained to be service dogs.
“We already have two police K-9s, but those are patrol dogs,” Rabideau said.
The therapy dog will provide wellness both within the police department itself and the community at-large, according to Rabideau.
“When we have people who have experienced some sort of traumatic event, it’s been proven that animals help in communicating or calming situations where people may be in an excited state or may have experienced trauma and been unable to communicate very well,” Rabideau said. “Think of our SRO when they’re dealing with a child at the middle school or Hillcrest (Primary School) or even the high school. We can help by bringing this dog in to settle situations or settle a person who has experienced something.”
Shawano has already done a test run internally, with one of its clerks bringing in her dog, according to Rabideau.
“It was more of a proof in concept for us,” he said. “I can tell you that it’s interesting to see veteran police officer who might be described as somewhat grizzled come and get on the floor with this dog and pet and talk in funny, high tones. It works. There’s a value to it, and that value benefits not just the department but the entire city.”
The therapy dog will also be useful in also promoting community outreach. Rabideau pointed out that the patrol K-9s are more aggressive and, therefore, children and families can’t get close to those dogs. With the therapy dog, however, there can be more interaction with people.
The police department is only having to provide $200 for the dog. The rest of the cost is coming from donations, according to Rabideau.
“The kennel that we’re getting this dog from does a lot of work with therapy K-9s,” he said. “They provide therapy K-9s to many police departments throughout the state and in Minnesota, as well.”
Rabideau noted that the sire for the dog that Shawano is getting had worked for a police department in Rice Lake before being rehomed to Waukesha after his handler was killed in the line of duty in 2023.
“It has a special tie to law enforcement,” Rabideau said.
As part of the department’s agreement with the Wisconsin Professional Police Association, Hoffman will be compensated for the time for caring for the dog through either additional paid time off or getting a lump sum at the end of the year, according to Rabideau.
“That’s a federal law, so that’s something we have to do,” he said. “That’s a good benefit for them.”
Police K-9s require an outdoor kennel with a concrete pad, according to Rabideau, while the therapy dog will be able to utilize an indoor kennel.
“This dog will be a little more family oriented and easier to care for,” Rabideau said.
lpulaski@newmedia-wi.com
