NAPLES, Fla — Two donated dogs are joining the Naples Police Department.
During a Naples City Council session on Thursday, council members approved the recruitment of a golden retriever and a black lab to help assist officers in bomb detection and crisis care.
The Naples Police Department’s K-9 Program was established in the early 1980s and continued until 2021, but when their last K-9 handler was promoted, the existing K-9 was retired.
The department said that due to staffing shortages it was forced to put the program on hold, until now.
One dog will play a role in detecting explosives and firearms while the other will assist in mental health crisis situations, Naples police said.
The local nonprofit organization, Golden Paws, donated the two-year-old Golden Retriever named Max. Max is equipped to work alongside individuals facing challenging mental health situations, providing comfort and support during distressing times, the group said.
"A comfort dog is just amazing in how they change kids' lives. We've seen kids go from tears to happiness," said Mary Chaffee, a representative for Golden Paws. "Older people who have had dogs and missed their dogs, taking dogs to go see them it slows down their heart rates, their blood pressure. And we are also hopeful this will help the police department themselves," she added.
Meanwhile, K9 Apex USA donated the Black Labrador named Tessa to the Naples Police Department. Tessa will work with the department to detect guns and hazardous explosives, the department said.
"Tessa was actually an owner surrender," a representative from K9 Apex USA told Fox 4. "She was in a pet home, but the family could no longer care for her. After evaluating her, we found her to be an excellent candidate for law enforcement, particularly in single-purpose detection roles," the rep added.
Although the two dogs will require some time and routine training to work seamlessly together, Naples Police Department officials believe the addition step will greatly enhance their ability to protect and serve the residents of Naples.
"They are force multipliers and they really help us do our job," stated Bryan McGinn, a spokesperson for the department. "It's all about serving the community and providing those extra services," he added.
