PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. — Corporal Tyler Hunter has been with the Prince George's County Police Department for about 10 years.
This week, he met his new partner. Pete the dog, is an 18-month-old French Brittany that will serve as the department's new peer support dog. But Pete is not your typical working K-9.
"I think everyone has a grasp of what K-9s do," Hunter said. "They look for explosives, narcotics and people. Pete's job is to look for people who need emotional help."
Assigned to the Psychological Services Division, Pete will go out with Cpl. Hunter on calls. His role is to console officers or even victims after a traumatic event. His sole mission is protecting everyone's mental health.
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"Studies have shown that getting those bad stress hormones down quicker can help reduce things like PTSD and can help getting you on a track to a better recovery."
Coming in contact with a dog can help bring down that stress. The hope is that the healthier the department is, the better they will be able to serve the community.
"Pete is very friendly he's very interested in meeting as many people as he can. If people see me out and about with Pete they are welcome to introduce themselves and meet Pete," said Hunter.
Pete is not fully deployed yet. He still has some training to finish up, and then he will get to work.