Saanich policeB次元官网网址檚 latest recruit to be sworn in has four legs, a tail and just might be the most emotionally intelligent member on the force.

Beacon, a two-year-old black lab, hasnB次元官网网址檛 been on the job for very long, but heB次元官网网址檚 already providing the departmentB次元官网网址檚 Vernon Avenue headquarters with a major morale boost.

B次元官网网址淎s soon as you see and pet him, and he gives you a few kisses, you canB次元官网网址檛 help but feel more positive than the moment before you saw him,B次元官网网址� Saanich police Chief Dean Duthie said at a news conference Wednesday (Jan. 25) morning.

Not your typical police canine, Beacon is an operational stress intervention dog B次元官网网址� trained not only to sense anxiety in staff but, tail wagging, comfort victims of crime during distressing interviews.

HeB次元官网网址檚 also the first operational stress intervention dog working on Vancouver Island.

Beacon was donated to the department by Wounded Warriors Canada in partnership with Vancouver Island Compassion Dogs (VICD), a division of BC Guide Dogs, said police.

Wounded Warriors Canada helps first responders, veterans and others with mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder. Dogs like Beacon can be helpful after stressful situations, which can make life particularly difficult for police officers.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e placed other operational stress intervention dogs with other services nationally, so weB次元官网网址檝e seen the ability of these dogs to release pressure and anxiety,B次元官网网址� Scott Maxwell, Wounded Warriors Canada executive director, told the Saanich B次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淚t does a lot of impactful, little things all the time, but particularly after critical incidents occur.B次元官网网址�

The detachmentB次元官网网址檚 new assistant comes as Saanich police officers are still reeling from trauma endured during the June 2022 bank robbery at the BMO Bank of Montreal branch on Shelbourne Street.

Gunshot wounds sustained during the chaotic shootout hospitalized six members of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team, including three from the Saanich Police Department. All officers survived, but five still remain off duty as a result of what happened that day.

Beacon will work with the department as long as heB次元官网网址檚 healthy and able to do his job, said Duthie.

Do you have a story tip? Email: austin.westphal@saanichnews.com.

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