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CALI Therapy Dog Program

In 2018, the Cranston Police Department and Hasbro Children’s Hospital
welcomed our newest officer: “C.A.L.I.”. C.A.L.I. (Cranston Police Department,
Aubin Center, Leadership in Innovation) is an Australian Labradoodle who is
jointly handled by Special Victims Unit Detective Michael Iacone and Dr. Christine
Barron of the Hasbro Children’s Hospital Aubin Center. This partnership features
the first comfort therapy dog to
jointly serve as a member of a
Rhode Island police department
and the first resident canine in a
local hospital. The goal of the
partnership between the two
agencies is to assist the
investigators and treating
physicians in fostering an open
and trusting dialogue with children
suspected of being victims of
maltreatment, sexual and physical
abuse. C.A.L.I. is Rhode Island’s
first Canine Comfort Therapy
Program and is believed to be the
first of its kind in the country.

The therapy dog’s main purpose is
to interact with children who have been victims of child maltreatment:
• Child abuse or child maltreatment is physical, sexual, or psychological
maltreatment or neglect of a child or children, especially by a parent or other
caregiver. Child abuse may include any act or failure to act by a parent or other
caregiver that results in actual or potential harm to a child, and can occur in a
child's home, or in the organizations, schools or communities the child interacts.

C.A.L.I. has been trained as an investigative tool to provide affection, emotional
support, and comfort which will be utilized in the following:
• Interviews of children who are victims of physical/sexual abuse/ sex
trafficking

www.cranstonpoliceri.gov