Trio, a trained facility dog, joined the Sarpy County Attorney’s Office earlier this month. The 2-year-old male lab’s work will include creating a sense of calm at the courthouse while also providing emotional support to crime victims and witnesses, especially children.
Chief of Staff Jean Brazda is Trio’s handler. The pair trained together in April at Canine Companions in New Albany, Ohio.
“I’m proud that we’re able to provide a facility dog for crime victims who have experienced trauma. They need to know they are not going through the process alone,” Brazda said.
Canine Companions is a national nonprofit organization that places both assistance and facility dogs. Their dogs go through 16 months of obedience and socialization training, then 6 months of intensive training geared toward the dog’s specific assignment. Canine Companions provided Trio to Brazda to use at the Sarpy County Attorney’s office at no cost.
Trio is Sarpy County’s second facility dog. Manny, the first courthouse facility dog in Nebraska, spent 8 years working in the County Attorney’s Office. He died in January.
“For the past 8 years, we’ve seen first-hand the important role a facility dog can play in a courthouse setting,” said Sarpy County Attorney Lee Polikov. “We’re excited to have Trio at the Sarpy County Courthouse and know he’s going to do amazing work.”
Video of Trio and Brazda’s graduation ceremony at Canine Companions – they appear on screen at the 13:50 mark.
