HARWICH – The Harwich Police Department and Monomoy Regional School District are teaming up to fight the youth vaping epidemic with the use of a specially trained K9 unit.
Across the nation, state, and locally, there is a serious health crisis arising from young people vaping nicotine and marijuana/THC products. The police department and school administration team have been working collaboratively to develop strategies to help deter vaping within the schools. In addition to the measures in place, which include increased supervision, education about the risks of vaping, and the Project Connect program that supports youth struggling with vaping, HPD and MRSD are embracing a new approach that is gaining increased popularity: “school specific” K9 programs that school resource officers have been using with great success. The HPD/MRSD dog will be the first dog in the region trained solely for the purpose of reducing youth vaping.
These dogs are trained to detect marijuana/THC as well as nicotine, both of which are used in vaping devices. Officers with existing school K9 programs report that the dogs have been a very effective tool in strongly reducing the amount of vaping and marijuana use. The dog and its handler receive specialized training and will be able to quickly and efficiently detect any instances of vaping/marijuana use in the school building and stop them as they occur. In addition to being a visible deterrent, the dogs also can conduct random checks and can be present at dances and various athletic events as needed.
The school K9 dogs are friendly, approachable, and interact with the students daily, while also serving as emotional support comfort dogs for students with anxiety and social challenges. Many of the SROs find that the dogs help bridge the gap between law enforcement and youth, opening up lines of communication and building relationships.
The MRSD/HPD K9 dog will also be used for education/awareness and safety training presentations at the elementary and middle schools. According to SROs with existing school K9 programs, these dogs make serious and scary topics like safety training and drills less intimidating for young people.
The school K9 program’s purpose is not to get students in trouble, but rather to keep them safe and healthy by helping to reduce and prevent the use of and exposure to vaping.
This project will rely on outside funding in order to launch. The start-up costs include the purchase of the dog, training, and equipment. Donations are welcome to help support the MRSD/HPD K9 program initiative. All funds raised will first go towards the initial costs of acquiring the dog, with any additional funds directed toward the continuing care and feeding of the dog. Donations can be mailed or dropped off to Monomoy Regional High School, 75 Oak St., Harwich MA 02645, or Harwich Police Department, 183 Sisson Rd, Harwich, MA 02645. Please make checks payable to the Harwich Police Association and note that the donation is for the MRSD/HPD K9 project.
This innovative collaboration is truly a community investment in keeping our children safe and healthy.
