DAYTON, Ohio — In the wake of tragedies, first responders who witness it can be victims long after it happens. One police officer is using a dog to help her cope with mental illness. 


What You Need To Know

  • Jennifer Chiles said she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder and anxiety because of traumas on the job as a police officer

  • According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, law enforcement reports higher rates of PTSD, anxiety, depression and burnout

  • Nearly one in four police officers have thoughts of suicide, according to NAMI

  • Chiles is using her dog as an emotional support animal to help her cope with her mental illness

Jennifer Chiles got her dog, Bo, from a rescue as a puppy, but she said he’s the one who rescued her.

“I spend 20 minutes with him at home, and I feel like a different person,” said Chiles. 

She said he helps her cope with a mental illness triggered by the tragedies she witnesses on the job. 

“I’m a police officer, and I suffer with PTSD and anxiety as a result of my job and cumulative stress,” said Chiles. 

She’s not alone. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, law enforcement reports higher rates of PTSD, anxiety, depression, burnout, and nearly one in four police officers have had thoughts of suicide. 

“A lot of us, unfortunately, we stuff it down and we try to be tough," said Chiles. "There’s a stigma with a police officer saying 'I have PTSD.' You’re afraid your administration at work is gonna say you can’t function." 

She said sometimes the symptoms are happening without even knowing it, but her dog does. 

“Your blood pressure goes up, your heart rate goes up and you’re not really feeling that stuff. He senses that, and the way that he helps is he climbs up on me and he lays against me,” said Chiles. 

That’s why her dog was trained, and a doctor deemed him an emotional support animal, but not just for her.

She brings him to places like the Miracle Clubhouse in Dayton. It's a place that helps people with mental illness find work.

She's hoping her dog will bring him the same comfort she gets every day.  

“He’s a lifesaver, that’s for sure,” said Chiles.  

To help cope with mental illnesses, resources are available through NAMI.