The Frederick Police Department is excited to introduce its newest member – comfort dog Nevada.
Nevada, a two-year-old black lab, was donated to the department by Hero Dogs, an organization that improves quality of life for U.S. Military veterans and first responders by raising, training, and placing service dogs and other highly skilled canines, free of charge with lifetime support of the partnerships.
Comfort dogs are being deployed in police departments across the country to better help departments assist in community engagement and relationship building. Comfort dog programs also play a critical role in departmental efforts to address victim’s advocacy, mental health and trauma.
Nevada will do just that, as she serves as part of the Frederick Police Department’s Special Operations Division and is assigned to Sgt. Rebecca Carrado. Nevada will be deployed to assist victims of violent crime, attend youth events, community programs, and provide comfort for officers and their families following a traumatic event. Sgt. Carrado, who is a School Resource Officer, will bring Nevada to Lincoln Elementary School to assist in her outreach duties with students. Nevada will assist students in activities such as providing a judgement free companion to read to, or by being a calm presence for students experiencing a mental health crisis.
Nevada is not part of the Frederick Police Department’s K-9 unit, and will not be used for investigative work of any kind in or outside of schools.
In addition to Hero Dogs donating Nevada to FPD, The Unsung K9 Hero Project, a partnership between the Frederick County Humane Society and The Virginia-Maryland-Washington Dog Magazine, donated supplies for ongoing costs and maintenance of Nevada to the department in memory of the late Brunswick Police Chief Milt Frech, who work at Frederick Police Department from 1989-1993.
"The Frederick County Humane Society's program, Unsung K9 Hero Project, is happy to donate supplies for Nevada in memory of Chief Frech,” said Connie Graft, Director of Frederick County Humane Society. “We are confident that Sgt. Carrado and Nevada will benefit students in a positive manner. We are happy to be a part of this."
The Frederick Police Department wants to extend its sincerest thanks to these organizations for their role in providing the department with Nevada, who will be used to provide comfort and care to so many in the community.