Therapy dog sworn in by York police, further softening the image of police dog history

Surrounded by an enamored, standing-room only crowd at WellSpan York Hospital, Reacher, a hospital therapy dog, was sworn in as the newest K9 York City Police Officer with his partner Officer Jonathan Hatterer on May 27.

Reacher joins another York City Police community outreach dog named Victory, who was sworn into service in 2021. Reacher will accompany Hatterer on rounds at the hospital offering support to patients, staff and first responders.

York City Police Commissioner Michael Muldrow looked around the room smiling at the large crowd before giving remarks saying that the reception for the second dog’s swearing in is proof of how far the department’s community outreach has come.

Mayor Michael Helfrich added that when the idea of bringing dogs into the department came up, he was initially very cautious saying, ”The history is not good. The history of police dogs in York City and really across the country, have been used for bad purposes, for bigoted purposes.”

Helfrich asked Muldow to go out into the community and “get the blessing of those who experienced the horrible times … still traumatized,” from the use of dogs by police on them from the 1940s until the 1960s.

Now looking at the interaction of the two dogs with the community, Helfrich concluded that “this is a very successful experiment.”

Muldrow added, “It’s a very easy way to add presence to an institution or facility. At the end of the day, they are here supporting people’s mental and emotional needs. He is here (at York Hospital) in a capacity that gets people used to it, (having a police officer in the hospital).

Sitting on a booster seat, with paw raised in the hand of his partner who helped him speak his part, Reacher was read the oath that accompanies the entry of every sworn officer into service, concluding with “I will discharge the duties of my office with fidelity as long as officer Hatterer continues to give me treats.”

The crowd roared with approval.

Reporting by Paul Kuehnel, York Daily Record / York Daily Record