Stevens Point Police Department looking to add therapy dog – WAOW

(WAOW) — The Stevens Point Police Department is looking to start a therapy dog program that would help its officers and residents in the community.
Point Plover Metro Wire first reported the story. 
The department wants to add the dog to help with anxious or highly stressed citizens during a call. 
They’re also looking at the internal benefit the therapy dog would have on officers. 
” In recent history i can think of where it really would’ve been nice to have a therapy dog respond with an officer. just to help console citizens that were going through a traumatic incident,” said Kris Marshel, a School Resource Officer with the department. 
Marshel says he first came up with the idea for the department’s own therapy dog after seeing how well kids and teens took to the Stevens Point Area School District’s therapy dog. 
The department hopes to have the dog by the beginning of 2023. 

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