Comfort K-9 Marley and his handler, Sgt. Janis Pickell of the Chester County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), recently became the nation's first canine team to achieve Police Service Therapy/Comfort K-9 certification through the United States Police Canine Association Inc. (USPCA). The accreditation incorporates the first national standards and testing of a police comfort dog's temperament and skills, as well as handler knowledge.

This past winter, Pickell wondered if there was a way to determine if she and Marley were providing the best service possible. That same week, she was contacted by certified K-9 trainer Sgt. Paul Bryant Jr., head of the CCSO's K-9 unit. Bryant sent Pickell an article about a new, national certification program and encouraged her to apply. She did, and the 18-year veteran of the CCSO and her English black Labrador partner began a new regimen.

Refining skills of bonding and obedience practiced since they became partners in January 2020, Pickell helped Marley learn to encounter and respond calmly to people with diverse life situations and in noisy spaces.

The entire CCSO got into the act, under the expertise of Bryant. Six fellow K-9-handler partners from the award-winning CCSO K-9 team and the civil office staff helped Marley socialize with other animals, strangers and bystanders. A deputy in a wheelchair and a civilian staff member using a knee scooter after surgery acclimated Marley to mobility devices. Visits to the CCSO's squad room taught Marley about different levels of noise and activity. Visits to eating areas gave him practice ignoring food that was not his. He became accustomed to riding an elevator. In each situation, Marley honed skills and acquired fans.

The CCSO quickly became an important law enforcement agency in the USPCA initiative. Now that the first program is over, Bryant is providing feedback to help the USPCA fine-tune requirements.

This certification is the first for law enforcement therapy dogs in the United States, according to Melinda Ruopp, national secretary of the USPCA, the largest governing body of police canines and an organization whose standards are accepted in federal court. She noted that therapy K-9s provide comfort and support in prisons, in courtrooms and for victims in interview rooms. "We felt they needed certification for tasks specific to dogs in law enforcement. Tests needed to ensure that uses of dogs are policy driven," said Ruopp.

"There are civilian organizations that provide certifications for other therapy dogs, but law enforcement K-9s perform different tasks in different situations and environments."

Pickell reported on her canine's reaction to the event: "Marley is unfazed at the prospects of celebrity status after achieving this first certification. For him, it's another happy day of work at the office."