Marietta K9 Helps Calm Woman In Distress Threatening To Harm Herself

MARIETTA, GA — A K9 officer recently helped comfort a woman in crisis who had locked herself in a bathroom and threatened to harm herself, according to police. The woman had called her pastor in a distraught state and the pastor called authorities.

Marietta Police said K9 Barney is normally assigned to Marietta City elementary schools with his handler, Paul Hill, a senior patrol officer and school resource officer.

The duo was working with shift officers during the school system's summer break, when they got the call on June 7 to help the woman.

Barney and Hill "were right-place-right-time when it mattered most," police said in a news release Wednesday.

By the time police got there, the woman had come out of the bathroom and was lying on a bed.

In line with his training, Barney jumped on top of the bed and lay down next to her. He allowed the woman to snuggle with him while backup officers attempted to de-escalate the situation, police said.

"Barney’s presence and demeanor gave her the time to calm down and begin to relax," police said in the release.

The responding ambulance diverted to a serious injury call, and Barney stayed with the woman until the ambulance arrived.

"In situations like this, the added response time can cause a distraught person to spiral further out of control. Officer Barney stayed diligent in his duties for over 45 minutes, never leaving her side. His companionship and presence made all the difference," police said in the release.

When the ambulance crew arrived, the woman agreed to go voluntarily to the hospital for help, police said.

"Like cities all across our country, we have seen a notable increase in calls for help related to mental health. The addition of K9 Barney is just one more way Marietta is investing in the mental health of our community. We want to publicly thank everyone who worked to bring Barney here as a new specially trained crisis-response K9 officer," police said in the release.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.