Therapy dog Leo takes final bowwow in Orland Park; village looks to continue program

Chicago Tribune

5 days ago

Although Leo, the Orland Park Police Department's therapy dog, has retired from the force, the village is looking at possibly continuing the program with a new canine.
Leo is leaving with his handler and companion, Officer Rich Miller, who took a job outside the village.
The black Labrador retriever came to the department in September 2021 after going through training in Florida.
Leo was named in honor of the Orland Park Law Enforcement Organization which, along with an anonymous donor, raised thousands that went toward the dog's care. Miller went through training in order to become the dog's handler.
Leo visited local schools, comforted victims of crimes and was called on for comfort by village officers who had experienced particularly stressful or traumatic incidents on the job.
Leo went to north suburban Highland Park in the wake of the 2022 Fourth of July parade shooting, and visited the bedside of Chicago police Officer Danny Golden after he was shot and wounded while off-duty in Chicago's Beverly community.
'We are truly grateful for Rich's dedicated service and the positive impact he, along with Leo, has had on our community,' Eric Rossi, Orland Park's police chief, said in a news release announcing the officer's and Leo's departures.
'Leo has proven to be an irreplaceable asset, providing companionship and therapy to those in need,' Rossi said.
Miller worked full-time for the department as assistant support services manager and coordinator of emergency services.
He left the full-time position at the end of last August to take a full-time position with the Midlothian Police Department and continued to work for Orland Park part-time.
Working his full-time job and keeping his commitment to work part-time for Orland Park proved too much, and Miller quit the part-time position at the end of last month.
'While Leo has brought comfort and therapeutic support to many — both within and beyond our community — his adoption, care and training have been my personal responsibility,' Miller said in a letter last month informing Orland Park he was leaving the part-time position.
Leo lives with Miller and his family, and Orland Park is selling the dog to Miller for $1.
Orland Park Mayor Jim Dodge said Monday that, after talking with Rossi, it was decided that trying to have Leo adapt to a new handler, and vice-versa would be difficult.
'The typical practice is to have the dog go with the handler if there is a change such as this,' Dodge said.
He said officials are looking to continue the K-9 therapy program with another dog, but that nothing has been finalized.
'We like the program and think it has value,' Dodge said.
Leo was a shelter dog, coming from a training program in Brevard County, Florida.
The training program was organized through the sheriff's police department in that county, which paired dogs with county jail inmates responsible for training and obedience schooling, according to Orland Park.