Scottsdale PD adds Rocket, department’s 2nd crisis response K9

PHOENIX — There’s a new four-legged employee at the Scottsdale Police Department.

Rocket, a 2-year-old Golden Retriever, is the department’s second crisis response K9 and will be partnered with school resource officer Devon Lines at Chaparral High School.

“We’ve been working on placing a service dog at one of our high schools for about a year,” Dr. Milissa Sackos, Scottsdale Unified School District’s assistant superintendent for secondary education, said in a press release.

“Rocket is going to fit right in at Chaparral and open up important, new avenues of communication with our students.”

Rocket’s duties include providing comfort to student victims, calming high stress situations and bridging gaps with community members.

Scottsdale police was able to get Rocket at zero cost through “Paws With A Cause,” a Michigan-based organization that custom-trains service dogs.

The Chaparral High School Association of Parents and Teachers and the SUSD Foundation have raised more than $34,000 to initially fund Rocket’s assignment at the school.

The department’s other crisis response K9 is Chase, a 4-year-old Labrador.

Follow @DannyShapiro13