Page 42 - 2020 A Year in Review
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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.
Despite the COVID pandemic, C.A.L.I. continues to be a shining star in our
Department as she was the recipient of the 2020 Crime Victim Service Award this past
June.
The therapy dog’s main purpose is to interact with children who have been victims of
child maltreatment:
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Cranston Police Department Year in Review 2020
