Contact: Beth Stone 508-584-8120
KINGSTON – Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz and Kingston Police Chief Brian Holmes are proud to introduce Mabel, a comfort dog to support students and residents.
The Town of Kingston recently acquired Mabel, a 16 week-old female Labrador Retriever, from Professional Canine Services in Middleboro via Pacheco Kennels of Raynham, where she will also perform her comfort dog training.
Mabel’s handler is Kingston Police Officer Brian Hurley, who serves as a part-time SRO, and Mabel will be used to reduce stress and promote wellness for students in Kingston Public Schools, and residents at town events.
“Mabel is the first ever comfort dog to serve with Kingston Police, and she is a great addition to the department and the school community,” DA Cruz said. “We know all too well the traumatic effect that stress can have on young people. Already commanding smiles wherever he goes, Mabel and Officer Hurley are devoted to working hard together at training.”
Kingston Police Chief Holmes said, “We are very excited about the latest addition to our team of dedicated public safety professionals and are committed to the District Attorney’s Plymouth County Comfort Dog program. This shows a collective and dedicated approach to wellness and how we handle our responsibilities with a contemporary mindset.”
DA Cruz developed the Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program in 2021 to provide additional services and resources to our communities. The Plymouth District Attorney’s Office provides a grant to Plymouth County Police Departments to assist with costs associated with acquiring, training and caring for their comfort dog. Both the handler and the comfort dog become members of the Plymouth County Comfort Dogs Program and are required to undergo all necessary trainings in the certification process to qualify as a comfort therapy dog.