Dedham PD Adds Community Resource Dog To Force

DEDHAM, MA — The Dedham Police Department welcomed their newest recruit on Monday with open arms. The department added a Community Resource dog to the force and the playful pup kickstarted his first day of training on Monday.

The four-month-old Golden Retriever was bred by Golden Opportunities for Independence in Walpole and will be working with School Resource Officers, Jason Sullivan and Neil Cronin. The pup's main job includes helping to de-escalate situations, engaging with vulnerable and withdrawn members of the community, interacting with community members suffering from mental health or stress issues, comforting victims and witnesses of violence and promote police-community engagement.

In the first act of community engagement, officers plan on working with Dedham Public School students to select a name for the dog.

Training for the dog and its handlers will be facilitated through Golden Opportunities for Independence. The department was awarded funding for the dog and training through a grant provided by the District Attorney of Norfolk County, Michael Morrissey.