Meet Liberty the Corgi, a California police department's therapy canine
FOLSOM – A new addition to the Folsom Police Department has tongues and tails wagging, but don't judge a book by its cover.
Liberty may be small, but she is mighty.
"She is our therapy canine for the Folsom Police Department and she specializes in working with kids and victims," said Officer Morgan Sears.
A 22-pound corgi worth her weight in gold, Sears says, for what she brings to the police department.
"It's an excellent resource for us just having her in the room creates a different environment," Sears said.
Sears bought Liberty two years ago as a puppy and was using her as a therapy dog in nursing homes for people with Alzheimer's. Liberty was excellent at it.
"And then I got assigned at work as a school resource officer and I was asked to come up with a program to better serve the youth in our community, so I proposed bringing a therapy canine into work with the kids and victims that we deal with on a daily basis. They approved my program," Sears said.
The Folsom Police Foundation funded Liberty's safety equipment, including a vest, collar, crate, heat sensors, and fans for inside the vehicle.
It wasn't long before she was hitting the road repping the Folsom police force.
"They are very surprised when she hops out of the back of my car," Sears said.
Sears says Liberty's sweet demeanor is instrumental in sensitive cases involving children.
"She really helps in that situation. She'll sit with them when they make that report, when they are crying or upset," Sears said. "She is really good at being there for them."
She works on regional response teams and internally with officers, dispatchers, and professional staff using what's called "grounding" or "check-in" techniques.
"If someone is experiencing a lot of stress and showing those behaviors, she is able to interrupt those behaviors [and] make them acknowledge it, and provide that comfort in that moment," Sears said.
Liberty works nearly 40 hours a week. When she's done, she spends her downtime with her sister Justice – with the two being nearly inseparable since birth.
Four Paws for Freedom is training Liberty as a service dog. The organization trains service dogs for law enforcement and veterans.