Scottsdale Police gets third crisis response K9, will help students at high school

PHOENIX — Students at Coronado High School will soon share the halls with a four-legged friend as the Scottsdale Police Department announced Tuesday it has added a third crisis response K9 to its team.

The dog, named Captain, is the second crisis response K9 in the department to be assigned to a school resource officer.

The 9-month-old Golden Doodle is trained to assist people experiencing anxiety, depression, or a manic state with a rise in cortisol levels, according to a press release.

“Captain’s duties will include providing comfort to victims, calming high-stress situations and bridging gaps with students and community members,” the department said.

“The first contact a young person has with the police is often with an SRO and adding Captain to the group will help provide another outlet for students experiencing behavioral health crisis situations, including diagnosed and undiagnosed mental illness.”

Captain will also travel to other schools as needed in the southern part of Scottsdale, the department said.

The dog was obtained through and trained by DogTrainer U.S. in Peoria, the department said, with the Scottsdale Unified School District Foundation providing funding for the program.

The foundation plans to expand the program to other campuses within the district, according to the release.

The Scottsdale Police Department has another crisis response K9, named Rocket, that also supports students in schools across the district.

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