EUCLID, Ohio — The Euclid Police Department is focused on putting the mental health of its employees first. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Euclid Police Department was gifted a therapy dog 

  • The dog will help officers deal with the stress of the job 

  • The dog will also be used for community outreach and to help comfort victims

Over the past several years, the department has been offering several programs and support groups for employees, but Chief of Police Scott Meyer said it hasn't always been this way. 

“Police work has always been stressful. When I started, we didn’t really recognize or address that stress," Meyer admitted. "In modern times, thank goodness we have moved forward and are recognizing the need for any number of mental health programs or outlets, or any way for our officers to try to release stress.” 

Their newest and perhaps their most adorable mental health initiative is furry, has four paws and is named Greta. 

Greta is a German Shepard puppy who was gifted to the department by the Silver Bullet K9 Ministry. 

Her main focus will be to help offers deal with the stress of the job. 

Unlike traditional police dogs, Greta will not be out fighting crime or sniffing for drugs. 

“It has always been needed in law enforcement, but I think we are more willing to recognize in modern times the need for a dog that can help the officers with the stress of the job," Meyer explained. 

Greta will also be used for community outreach and she will be able to comfort victims of crime. 

“We can also use Greta with juvenile and adult victims," Meyer said. "I think the dog will be instrumental in getting those folks somewhat relaxed and at ease and take a little bit of the stress off. I know this isn’t the final answer, but I think it helps as part of the solution.” 

Greta is currently training with several different handlers, including Benjamin Wilcox. 

Wilcox is busy teaching Greta the traditional commands like sit, stay and lay.

He is also teaching her some non-traditional commands, like what he calls "huggies."

"If someone is sitting down and she comes up and puts her head on their shoulders, what we tell her is huggies," Wilcox explained. "She will go run up to the person, put her head on their shoulder and be there for them." 

Currently, Greta goes home with Wilcox. But soon, once she is fully trained, she will stay at the police station full time. 

"If some sort of event occurs that we need to use her for, there is always going to be someone here for it.”​

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