New member of Asheville Police Department offers hope for victims of crime
By Taylor Thompson
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ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — The Asheville Police Department has added a new addition to their team.
Their second therapy dog, Hope, joined the force on Monday.
Captain Joe Silberman said that he’s excited about adding Hope to their team, and is looking forward to opening more doors to provide services to the community.
Tammy Jones is the Victim Services Coordinator who also serves as Hope’s handler.
She explained how Hope joined them out of an act of generosity, as she was donated to APD from Highland Canine and came fully trained and ready to work.
Jones works with victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and as Hope’s handler, she said that they will be working together to help victims get through some of the toughest days of their lives.
She added that APD is now one of the few agencies that has a dog now dedicated specifically to helping crime victims.
“Hope will be going to court, she’ll be sitting in on interviews that detectives do, she’ll be there to provide comfort and just to help people through some of the toughest times of their lives,” she said.
Jones said that it’s also great for their officers, as they see a lot of horrible things to be able to sit down and play with Hope for a few minutes.
She added that therapy dogs can help to remove a barrier because there’s a connection someone immediately has when there’s a dog in the room.
Jones believed that having a moment with Hope can change how a victim may feel and provide them with the courage needed to face their offender in the courtroom.
Hope will now be a vital part of helping victims through some of the hardest days of their lives.
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