Adorable Lab puppy starts duty as police department’s first-ever comfort dog

Dogs play an important part in many police departments: specially trained K9s do crucial tasks like tracking down suspects or missing persons.

But one adorable little pup is playing a different role in his police department: he’s the department’s first-ever comfort dog.

Blue, an 8-week-old Labrador retriever, might be just a puppy but he’s already got a job at the Tiverton Police Department, in Rhode Island. He began duty last week as the department’s first comfort and therapy dog officer.

Blue comes from Boonefield Labradors, who breed service dogs and give a discounted rate to law enforcement, according to The National Desk.

After being picked up by his dad, Officer Shaun Wilson, Blue has had a “busy first couple of days,” according to his Facebook page.

This week, he has visited town hall, met students at the local high school, paid a visit to the library and, as a treat, hit up Starbucks for a tasty “pup cup.”

More and more police departments have been employing comfort dogs in recent years, and they serve an important purpose. Police often deal with citizens who are going through a crisis, and having a comfort dog on hand can help people cope with their anxiety, shock and trauma.

Comfort dogs can also be beneficial to the officers themselves: policing can be a stressful job, but having an adorable pup around the office can ease that stress.

And comfort dogs can also serve as a sort of mascot for their departments, helping to foster a connection between the police and the people they serve.