Thanks to Bisanz Brothers and Lindsay Bjerke with Norton Realty for their support.
The newest addition to West St. Paul’s police force is Rocky the therapy dog. He partners with handler and patrol officer Isabelle “Izzy” Lalor.
Why: Therapy dogs help victims process trauma and offer stress relief to police officers.
How: “Rocky will provide comfort to those who have experienced a traumatic or stressful event,” Lalor said. “Whether that is just bringing a smile to your face with his goofy personality, or being there to sit with you while you decompress and/or process a stressful or traumatic event with companionship and physical touch.”
Not a typical K9: The department’s current K9s, Cecil and Bear, focus on criminal apprehension. But Rocky’s primary role is emotional support for the police department and wider community.
Support: “Training, food, equipment, veterinary care is all paid for by Soldier 6,” said West St. Paul Police Chief Brian Sturgeon. The West St. Paul K9 Foundation helps with any other expenses.
How Rocky Helps
“Rocky has already brought a lot of smiles to those he has engaged with so far,” said Lalor. “People get excited to see him, whether it is just to say hi, give him some pets, or play with him.”
Initially reluctant, Sturgeon has seen the value of therapy dogs: “The specially trained dog has proven to reduce stress and provide emotional support to those needing comfort during times of critical incidents and increased anxiety, particularly in children,” Sturgeon said.
Since joining the force earlier this summer, Rocky is already making a difference:
- “When first responders walk into work, we don’t always know what our day will bring,” said Lalor. “Some days can certainly be more difficult than others. Having a therapy dog offers an outlet to relieve stress, whether that is just petting and or cuddling Rocky, playing with him, or just watching him be the goofy puppy that he is. I think it is important for us to have him as a part of our team.”
- Rocky attended Cops in the Park last month and visited police officers in Minneapolis in the days following the shooting at Annunciation Church and School.
- Lalor and Rocky will be at the K9 Walk on Sept. 21.
Shifting Roles
Rocky is a Labrador retriever found on the streets of West St. Paul as a stray earlier this year and never claimed. The vet estimates he’s about eight months old.
- “Soldier 6 conducted an assessment of the dog to determine if it potentially would be a good fit to be trained as a therapy dog, and the assessment showed the dog has excellent attributes,” said Sturgeon.
Lalor officially joined the West St. Paul police force in the spring of 2024, though she had served as a community resource officer since 2021. Moving into the role of Rocky’s handler means more community engagement and working with victims of crime, aspects of the job Lalor already enjoyed.
- “I am a dog lover!” said Lalor. “I am certainly guilty of getting really excited when I run into dogs both inside and outside of work.” Lalor’s first dog was a golden retriever and she grew up with a German shepherd mix.
Day in the Life of a Therapy Dog
Here’s what a typical workday with Rocky looks like:
- The day starts by greeting coworkers. “Rocky is always super excited to see all of our partners. He wants to make sure everyone knows that he is there and ready for all of the pets, belly rubs, and to play,” Lalor said.
- During patrol, Rocky rides shotgun in the squad car.
- Lalor is a coffee lover, so Rocky comes along for the caffeine fix and gets the occasional pup cup.
- Rocky also comes along with Lalor as she stops at businesses in town and visits with staff and members of the community.
- “Rocky is still at the beginning stages of his training, so when we are not patrolling the streets or doing paperwork, we are typically working on some aspect of his training,” Lalor said.
- Days off include walks, playing with toys, and cuddling on the couch.
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