Franklin Police add therapy dog

Franklin, Massachusetts:      Chief Thomas J. Lynch is excited to announce the addition of a Police Therapy Dog to the Department. Therapy dogs are used to comfort people who have been involved in a trauma, or stressful event. They can also help de-escalate situations, and bring a calming presence to a scene.

The 3 month old golden retriever named “Ben Franklin”, will work within the Community Services Division. In addition to responding to calls for service, Ben will regularly visit the schools, senior center, and community events.

Chief Lynch said “There are only a few communities in Massachusetts so far that have embraced therapy dogs as a way to engage, and serve the public. We are proud of the efforts made by the Community Services Division, under the direction of Lieutenant Mark Manocchio, to bring this program online. We see Ben as being a public face of our Agency, and a symbol of our commitment to use all available resources to better serve our residents.”

Ben’s training is being generously donated by Masterpeace Dog Training of Franklin.