SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) - While officers from the Santa Barbara Police Department (SBPD) continue their work throughout the city, a new four-legged friend is hard at work to help ease the challenges within. Meet the department's newest support K-9, Cota!
The 2-year-old English Lab is part of the its wellness initiative program - ensuring officers and staff have the support they need to continue a long-lasting career, and maintain a healthy mindset outside of it. While Cota is not the only wellness support initiative available to staff, she is the newest... and by the cutest.
Everyday, Cota comes into the station with her handler Katie Houseknecht and makes her rounds to receive her daily dose of pets, treats, and belly rubs. And while Cota's role may seem simple, what she provides is so much more. As a support animal, Cota provides comfort and solace - creating a light in an space that can be dim at times.
"Her day-to-day duties are to make people smile! You know, just the ongoing. You don't have to have a traumatic event to need additional support - peer support," said Houseknecht. "She's just another tool, and it's that ongoing wellness, that our department has committed to,"
Cota was initially trained in a program designed for guide dogs before she transitioned to becoming a support and service canine - specially trained in basic obedience and socialization - skills Cota and Katie continue to practice everyday.
The now endless doggy cuddles became possible all thanks to grant funding provided by One805 - a Santa Barbara County-based organization dedicated to preparing, equipping, and supporting first responders.
Every year, One805 donates funds to various departments and gives them to choice on how to spend the funding. This year, SBPD decided to focus on expanding their wellness program with the addition of Cota.
Data collected shows one in seven police officers suffer from mental health disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or depression related to traumatic events experienced on the job, and are extremely vulnerable to poor psychological health if they lack peer and wellness support.
Over the last three years, the police department has worked to combat these statistics by providing its officers with various support options, including yearly wellness checks, fitness bands, peer support - and now - a new support canine.
"I want to see my officers have a healthy, happy career - and when they retire, that they also retire with that same mindset. So it's about building resilience, its about changing the culture where we actually talk about these things called feelings," Police Chief Kelly Gordon says.
"Part of that is bringing in that support canine for after-the-fact as that calming mechanism. Bringing in that dog, and that support, and that comfort typically helps people to deal with their emotions and their feelings.
Cota's impact isn't just felt internally, along with her handler, she attends community events to extend support to fellow first responding departments and the larger community - sharing the love all around.
"She really is, even for me, that uplifting moment," Gordon says.
While the department can't control what each day will bring for its employees, Cota is there to make the day a little bit better - one pet at a time.