Belleville police started using therapy dogs in April 2017, to help ease anxiety in victims during interviews.
“It’s a very traumatic process to be a victim of crime, especially for some of the cases that we are using them. Especially for children and vulnerable adults. It brings the human element back,” says Insp. Chris Barry.
The therapy dogs are paired up with a volunteer handler from St. John Ambulance. The handlers take responsibility for the dogs while taking them into interview rooms during investigations.
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“They get great comfort from it, their stress levels kind of relax. It’s a big waiting game here, waiting for their turn, so I think it distracts them from the waiting and worrying about what they have to do,” says Julie Empui, a volunteer dog-handler.
Before the dogs can help the department, they need to complete their community hours.
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Santos, the newest addition to the Belleville courthouse team has had three years experience as a therapy dog.
The program wouldn’t be possible without the volunteer handlers.
“It’s absolutely incredible. There are three to four thousand hours every year put in by St. John Ambulance volunteers,” says Joyce Fowler, co-ordinator for Therapy Dog programs at St. John Ambulance.
St. John Ambulance hopes to expand the Belleville therapy dog program.
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