K-9 cutie

New police pup helps officers relieve stress

City of Northville Police Chief AL Maciag holds
new recruit Sulley in his office. Photo by Liz Cezat 

A new recruit has officially joined the City of Northville Police Department.

The new officer will not wear a uniform and is still “in training” according to Police Chief Al Maciag, and is not yet on active duty.

Sulley, an English White Golden Retriever, will have a special job to do in the police department when his probationary training is complete. Right now, while only five months old, he is already in training to become a certified therapy dog.

Maciag, who owns Sulley, said he places a high value on the impact a dog can bring to the officers and the public in times of stress.

Sulley gets comfortable in the City of Northville
Police Department. Photos courtesy of
the Northville Police Department. 

“Several years ago, I began bringing my black Labrador, Oliver, to work with me when I was the chief of police in Wayne. He was never formally trained as a therapy dog, yet he brought such joy and happiness to the people that had contact with him. I was able to also bring him to Northville several times before he passed away,” Maciag said. 

Maciag and his team discussed the benefits of having a department therapy dog, in part to ease the demands of the job. Several area police departments, including Livonia, Northville Township and Wayne, have therapy dog programs.  

“Officers experience some of the most stressful and traumatic events over the course of their career. They then must be able turn off their emotions so they can go home and be an effective parent, spouse, sibling or friend,” Maciag said. 

“Law enforcement has come a long way over the past 30 years in how we take care of our officers' mental and physical well-being. Research has shown that the presence of a therapy dog can help a person control anxiety, regulate emotional arousals and improve mood. What better way to help our officers than to have a dog available to be attentive to their needs and offer unconditional love when needed,” Maciag said.   

Maciag and his wife, June, picked Sulley up on Dec. 23 - just before Christmas. They named him after the affable Monster, Inc. character. Golden Retrievers are known to have great temperaments, Maciag explained, which makes them a popular choice for therapy dogs. The Maciags have had three Labrador Retrievers during the past 20 years. 

 Sulley has been at work with Maciag several times during the past few weeks to acclimate him to the environment. The Therapy Dog Program at Passion Fur Paws in Michigan Center is currently providing Sulley's training.  Dogs cannot be certified as therapy dogs until they reach at least one year of age, Maciag explained. Once his training is complete, Sulley will come to work with Maciag daily. He will be available for the officers and police department employees.  

“I am hoping in the future that he will be able to come to special events and be out in the community for people to meet. He can also be available to help students or others who are experiencing hardships to help brighten their day and lend emotional support,” Maciag said.