About Winter:
Facility dog Winter VIII joined the Reno Police Department in April of 2022. Her handler is Lt. Michael Browett. A Facility Dog attends and graduates an assistance dog organization course from an accredited Assistance Dogs International or a similar internationally recognized organization. The organization's main purpose is to grant accreditation based on standards of excellence in all areas of assistance dog acquisition, training and placement that provides a calming influence on vulnerable people during the investigation and prosecution of crimes, other stressful legal proceedings or peer support situations, and therapeutic responses to these experiences.
Facility Dogs can be included in a variety of activities to include:
- Forensic Interviews
- Other Interviews
- Client Meetings (e.g. pre-trial conferences, etc.)
- Court / Trial Use (no in courtroom use at this time)
- Critical Incident Peer Support
- Field Response, General Response and Support
- Suspect Interviews
- Community Events
- Mutual Aid Request
- Other Responses on a Case by Case Basis
Because Winter is a finite resource, her assignments are prioritized based on team availability and a deployment hierarchy.
For requests that lend themselves to scheduling, please complete and submit the Facility Dog Request. For emergency requests, please contact Lt. Browett at 775-433-3634.
