Virginia Capitol Police Dog Visits VTCC

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Representatives from the Division of Capitol Police, Commonwealth of Virginia, recently visited patients at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Virginia Treatment Center for Children (VTCC) to introduce them to Cheno, a 6-year-old Belgian Shepherd and a Capitol Police K-9 unit.

“We’re really in a position to give back to the community,” said Maj. Steve Pike, assistant chief of police in the Division of Capitol Police. “We enjoy providing positive experiences between police and children, because we want to show them that we aren’t just out looking for the ‘bad guys.’ Bringing Cheno out to events like this really lets the kids see police officers in a positive environment.”

The children were able to watch Cheno and his handler, Officer Sean Chaulklin, demonstrate how police K-9 units detect suspicious objects, such as explosive devices.

“Dogs provide a calming influence, and seem to make an environment more secure,” said Sandra Barker, Ph.D., director of the VCU School of Medicine’s Center for Human-Animal Interaction. “Kids and dogs go hand-in-hand, so it’s always exciting to bring them together.”

The Division of Capitol Police is a multi-faceted agency with varied responsibilities. The division is frequently called upon to provide police services to state agencies, state employees and elected officials. For more information, visit http://dcp.virginia.gov/index.asp.

Part of the VCU School of Medicine's Department of Psychiatry, the Virginia Treatment Center for Children has been providing mental-health services to the children, adolescents and families of Virginia for more than 40 years. 

VTCC offers a wide range of psychiatric services and works to improve the mental health of all Virginians through patient care, education and research.