COLUMBIA, S.C. — There's a new tool in the fight for mental health at the Richland County Sheriff's Department. He has four legs and a wagging tail. His name is C.J. He is the sheriff's department's new team member and first-ever emotional support dog.
"He's a crisis intervention dog and works with me every day at the Richland County Sheriff's Department. His mission is to help support our deputies and civilian staff," said Director of Wellness and Resiliency Allison Farrell.
On Sunday, the two-year-old dog graduated from PAALS training, completing years of work to provide emotional support. Melissa Payne, the executive director at PAALS, said dogs receive training that includes a four-week intensive boot camp at no cost to clients.
"The dogs are trained in cues that can mitigate some of the symptoms that come with PTSD. So we do pressure cues, like a hug that will put on someone's thighs or feet, and it helps just bring down their heart rate. It helps calm an individual," she said. "It's a very long process, and for each dog, we invest upwards of $40,000."
Farrell said C.J. is joining her team at a time when deputies are struggling with mental health.
"Officers today see a lot of hard stuff on the road and on the jobs that they do, so he serves to support them and help me whenever I'm providing mental health treatment," she said.
She said C.J. had already been at the department headquarters for a couple of weeks and received much love.
"People are seeking him out. I think at the base level, one of the things that's real desirable about him is that he serves as a point of conversation - a way to open up conversations about mental health and a way for our deputies to connect with the wellness team," Farrell said.
She said the goal is to have C.J. work for years and eventually retire.
