Zeke, the therapy dog who joined the Wayne Police Department last December, has been an invaluable aid to officers during the recent pandemic, according to the official department Facebook page. Zeke's main role is to provide comfort and stress relief to officers at the police station. "It is important to remember that law enforcement is an extremely stressful job. Officers encounter nearly constant trauma throughout their careers - people dying before their time, people at their worst, horrific car crashes, etc. Having Zeke around is a great way to give officers a bit of stress relief. Zeke is always in a good mood, and he is always ready for petting and ear scratching," the Facebook post notes. Zeke is a 4-year-old Golden Retriever and is certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD). The dog has undergone 24 weeks of obedience training, testing, and observation in various settings in order to receive that certification. When not "on duty," Zeke lives with Police Chief Ryan Strong. Zeke has even been known to Facetime with officer's young children as he offers a friendly, furry face and a respite from the extremely stressful conditions the pandemic has imposed throughout the area.
