Zeke the Therapy Dog

Project Description

It has become a trend to add a therapy dog into police departments over the last five years. However, the Wayne Police Department’s approach was unquestionably unique, and the outcome proved beneficial to the entire community. In 2019, the City’s Police Chief, Ryan Strong, surprised the community with Zeke. Chief Strong had been raising Zeke from a puppy, and much to our surprise, paid out of his own pocket to have Zeke trained to become a member of not only the department, but the entire community, as an official therapy dog. With the incredible pressures the police department was faced with ongoing challenges across the country related to the policing industry, coupled with devastation that COVID-19 placed on our community, where we lost dozens of people, Zeke brought incredible joy to all. He attended events, visited schools, and was at the side of the officers when they needed him.

Is your project easy to replicate in other communities (clear in its impact and execution for other communities)?

The City of Wayne has been struggling financially for nearly a decade. Many of our programs had to be eliminated over time. Chief Strong understood that the department needed a therapy dog, but also took into consideration the city’s financial challenges. Therefore, he had his own dog trained, paying the out of pocket expenses, and started the first City of Wayne Police Therapy dog program. Of course, not everyone has the means to pay out of pocket for the training, and that can be a hurdle. However, what was unique about Zeke was that having him in the city, showed the incredible impact he had on the community and the officers alike. Unfortunately, Zeke passed away in October of 2022 of an undetectable cancer. The community was saddened that they had lost a companion and a friend. However, the impact he had on the community during his short time of service, was incredible. In 2023, the City of Wayne City Council supported the Police Chief’s efforts to once again introduce a new therapy dog to Wayne, and in late May of 2023, Hank made his official debut. Only this time, the city has offered to pay for Hank’s training because the council saw the impact that Zeke had and how sorely he was missed. There is not a specific category listed for this particular submission. However, we have check marked the Public Health box because Zeke made an impact on the mental health and well-being of so many people, including his family at the Wayne Police Department.

This project is easy to replicate with little cost to implement the program. The long-term impacts these therapy dogs have on a department and community cannot be quantified in dollars and cents. As the visa commercial says, ‘priceless”.

What is the Community Wealth Impact (based on one or more of the categories you selected) of your project?

Having a police therapy dog in the City of Wayne, has had several positive impacts on the community’s wealth, both in economic and social terms:

Enhanced community well-being: The presence of a therapy dog has had significant social and psychological benefits for community members. Interacting with Zeke helped to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and promote emotional well-being.

Community engagement and partnership: The City of Wayne police therapy dog program fostered a stronger relationships and partnerships between the law enforcement agency and the community. Zeke’s presence facilitated positive interactions, bridged gaps, and promoted dialogue between the officers and community members. This collaboration showed an increased community trust in law enforcement, better communication, and improved problem-solving efforts.

Positive image: Zeke generated positive publicity and enhanced the community’s image. Adding Zeke to the police force was seen as a progressive and caring approach to law enforcement, highlighting the department’s commitment to public safety and well-being.

Describe the creativity and originality of your project.

As stated, this program has been ongoing for a number of years. However, the Chief took a different approach by paying out of pocket for all costs related to training Zeke. If a community is struggling financially, and is hesitant about taking the first step towards paying for a therapy dog out of the general fund, there are other ways to accomplish bringing a therapy dog into a community. One way is through fundraising efforts. When a community can show the impact therapy dogs are having in other communities, like Zeke had, a likely outcome is strong support from the community.