At 1-year mark, Leo the therapy dog has become key part of the police force

It’s impossible for Leo to go unnoticed when he comes to work every morning.

The exuberant golden retriever knows which officers with the Sioux Falls Police Department keep a stash of treats at their desks for him, and he makes the rounds. Almost every officer who sees him gives him pets, and there’s always those who deliberately seek him out.

“Officers will comment, ‘I needed to see you today, Leo,’” Police Chief Jon Thum said.

Such statements — simple words that can indicate the underlying pressures that accompany a job in law enforcement — mean Leo is successful in the first of his two purposes for joining the police force about a year ago.

When Leo was introduced at a police briefing in late April 2023, Thum said the addition of a therapy dog to the force would have dual benefits: helping officers through stressful situations and serving as outreach for the department.

Leo receives high marks in both areas. He has been overwhelmingly success in his public appearances, Thum said.

“It’s phenomenal, even better than I anticipated,” the police chief said. “He’s quickly become the most recognizable and talked-about member of our department. … We had a group of elementary school kids come in last week, talking about their position with student council and leadership, and we gave a tour of the building. The most exciting part was when we introduced Leo and we got to pet Leo and they got Leo stickers.”

While those involved with the tour shared what Thum describes as “words of wisdom” with the students, he has no doubt that the thing they’ll remember more than anything is their chance to interact with Leo.

Leo’s presence with the Sioux Falls Police Department began when Officer Dustin Jorgensen heard about the impact therapy dogs could make while he was attending a conference on officers’ well-being and the stress they face. Jorgensen brought the idea back to the local department’s wellness committee and found enthusiastic support.

Leo — an acronym for law enforcement officer and the Latin root word for brave and lionhearted — was placed with Sgt. Eric Meyer, who supervises the SFPD’s school resource officers. As Leo’s handler, Meyer focuses on the therapy dog, making sure his needs are met, said Public Information Officer Sam Clemens.

According to the National Service Dog Registry, a fully trained therapy dog can cost $15,000 to $30,000. Archwind Retrievers of Belle Plaine, Minnesota, essentially gave Leo to the SFPD, charging only a dollar.

Leo was born in January 2023. After his arrival in Sioux Falls, Maggie Pearson of Tenacious Dog Training taught him to be a therapy dog. Leo has since passed his training and is officially certified.

Lindsey Mossman started working with the SFPD about a month after Leo’s arrival. Her position of wellness specialist is new to the department and is funded through a grant. Mossman handles “all things wellness,” including physical fitness, cultural wellness and outreach events that put police officers outside the department. She also serves on the peer support team and offers mental health education.

“He’s the best boy ever,” Mossman said of Leo. “He is our therapy dog, so he roams the halls and just kind of brightens everybody’s day. (This afternoon) he came into our lineup room, where officers report to shift and have a briefing and a report on the state of the city. Everybody, even if they’re not a dog person, is making kissy faces and getting close so they could scratch him. The smiles he brings into the room are irreplaceable. You can’t put a value on the smiles you get from a dog.”

It’s difficult to measure morale, Mossman said, but there’s no doubt that Leo’s presence brightens up SFPD employees’ day, leads them to be more effective and just happier. Time spent with Leo directly impacts how officers respond to events, she said.

No statistics are kept on how often Leo spends time with law enforcement officers after a critical incident, Mossman said, but Leo is available during debriefing, defusings or whenever someone is in need of his services.

Thum on occasion has found himself seeking out Leo.

“Sometimes, our job is difficult. It doesn’t matter whether you’re an officer or an administrator, the stresses of that job can catch up to you,” he said. “A couple times when Leo comes into my office, I give him some good pets and decompress and think about something else for a moment. It’s well proven the therapeutic element of having a dog around.”

Law enforcement officers face stressful physical and mental components, Thum said. They deal with repetitive instances that have no easy solutions, and the grind of the job can be wearing. Seeing a friendly golden retriever can ease stress, Thum said.

The SFPD has demonstrated Leo’s benefits to regional law enforcement agencies. Metro Communications has adopted its own therapy dog since Leo’s arrival, as has Augustana University. Nina, the Metro Communications therapy dog, will spend evenings with the dispatchers. Nina and Leo recently met, Thum said.

Mossman estimated that she receives requests for policies and personal experience monthly from other police departments interested in the groundwork to build their own therapy-dog programs. She is asked what the SFPD would do differently, and the answer essentially is “nothing.”

“We need to get him used to harnesses,” she admitted. “It’s just a funny little thing Leo has picked up. … We made sure to socialize him really well. We did a lot of things right, but we definitely needed to introduce that harness a bit sooner.”

Leo has identification badges for the different schools he visits. Recently, when police officers were dealing with a barricaded subject near Lowell Elementary, Leo was brought to the school to give the kids something good to pay attention to while they were sheltered in place.

“Leo creates a nice atmosphere,” Thum said.

Most public outings are less stressful. At the police station, Leo knows he can be a bit goofy and lets his puppy side out. In public, he knows to be on his best behavior, Thum said.

“He tries to make his rounds to the bigger events,” Mossman said. “I was volunteering at the air show (last summer), and Leo was there. He goes to Coffee With the Cops. He goes to as many as he can. We are running the Citizens Police Academy, and he make an appearance there.”

Leo has already proven his worth. While the role he plays is different from the department’s five police service dogs, every canine has proven its value, Thum said. “When the police service dogs retire, they get replaced. I see the same thing with Leo.”

Mossman agrees.

“He’s one of those things you didn’t know you needed it until you have it, and if we don’t have it, we’re going to need it again,” she said. “I can’t see us not having a therapy dog running around the building anymore. He makes, truly, every day really fun to come to work.”