Town Of Dedham Shared Top Dog: Ruby And Officers Sullivan And Cronin Deserve A Round Of 'Appaws'

Press release from the Town of Dedham:

February 11, 2021

DEDHAM – The Dedham Police Department Community Resource Dog, Ruby, is continuing to shine! After forming a close bond with her handlers, Officer Jason Sullivan and his family along with Officer Neil Cronin, Ruby has proven again to be top dog.

At just 16 months old, Ruby is a Licensed Therapy Dog and has successfully completed her Public Access Test, administered by the Golden Opportunities for Independence (GOFI). The Public Access Test is the third and final test in this training series.

After joining the Dedham Police Department on Jan. 24, 2020 as a puppy through a Grant from the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, Ruby was named through a contest by the students at the Dedham Middle School. The DA’s Office developed this grant program with students and children in mind, to provide a resource dog trained to help respond to trauma and stress, and to build relationships with local law enforcement.

Ruby has completed numerous programs and trainings through GOFI and the American Kennel Club and completes weekly reinforcement exercises with both of her handlers. The Public Access Test included a series of tests to demonstrate her skills and the skills of her handlers. Together, they successfully demonstrated the strength of their relationship and communication skills through verbal and non-verbal signals, concentration and how to interact with the public in a calm and modest manner. The successful completion of this exam is a testament to the hard work of Officer Sullivan and his family and Officer Cronin who consistently work with Ruby and participate in these training classes.

Each week, Ruby has a packed schedule working with the officers. Through visits to local schools, community events and attending service calls, Ruby has been a calming and positive presence in Dedham.

“A lot of kids know her and love when she shows up in class,” said Officer Sullivan, the School Resource Officer based out of Dedham Middle School.

Officer Sullivan will take Ruby to each of the schools every week and have her interact with the students.

“Ruby has been a great ice-breaker and conversation starter with the kids and has helped to develop bonds with the Dedham Police,” said Officer Sullivan.

In the community, Ruby has joined her handlers on service calls to provide comfort and emotional support to those in need. Her temperament and her gentle nature effectively de-stress and help to provide a sense of calm.

Another valuable lesson the officers have been able to include in visits with Ruby is proper dog etiquette. The Officers show the students the correct way to approach a dog and the dog’s owner. When you see Ruby out and about, ask her handler if you can meet her and the answer will always be, “yes, of course.”

You will notice Ruby is currently wearing her work vest that reads “In Training” that will soon say “Service Dog.” Her current course load is scent tracking where she works with her handlers to hone her skills in tracking human scent to be able to provide aid to the Department in the future.

“Her gentle nature will prove valuable if she needs to assist us in the search of a missing person,” said Officer Sullivan.

The police department is thankful Ruby has joined the team and cannot imagine work without her.

“I regularly receive calls from schools asking if Ruby can visit. Her presence in the classroom and in the hallways feels like a reward,” said Officer Sullivan. “Students want to come talk to us more because of Ruby and her impact on helping to develop relationships has been amazing.”

Don’t forget to check out Ruby’s Facebook page (@RubyDedhamCRD) to see what she is up to around town and where she may be headed next.

Golden Opportunities for Independence is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization run by volunteers who breed, raise and train golden retrievers as service dogs. To learn more about GOFI and the programs they offer, please visit https://gofidog.org/.

This press release was produced by the Town of Dedham. The views expressed here are the author’s own.