Members of the Wayne Police Department welcomed a new officer last week when Hank, a three-month old Golden Retriever, officially joined the force. Hank will begin his 8-10 month long formal therapy dog training this month for official certification. During his training, however, Hank will continue to visit his fellow officers at police headquarters once or twice a week working on his socialization skills. Eventually, he will be at the station all day, every day.
The Wayne Police therapy dog program is part of the departmental focus on officer wellness, along with the current partnership with Hegira Health, Inc. "Officers have a tough job and we owe it to them to give them the tools they need to serve the community effectively," noted Police Chief Ryan Strong, who promised to post regular updates about Hank on the police Facebook page.
