K-9 Marley to fill void as Chesco comfort service dog
The Chester County Justice Center will soon have a new K-9 officer.
Earlier this month, new county Sheriff Fredda Maddox announced that her office would welcome Marley, an 18-month-old Labrador retriever, as the courthouse comfort dog.
The Sheriff’s Office now has seven K-9 officers, each of which has its own handler among the office’s deputies. But there is just one comfort dog, used to diffuse tensions and calm participants in courtroom settings. For example, a comfort K-9 was used to aid a young special needs girl who was called as a witness in a murder trial in 2019. While the girl sat on the witness stand, the comfort dog, K-9 Melody, lay beside her.
K-9 Marley, who is partnered with Sgt. Janis Pickell, received training at the Seeing Eye in Morristown, N.J., a renowned guide dog facility. Occasionally, dogs do not meet the Seeing Eye’s specific requirements for service and become “career change” dogs, frequently finding a productive home in law enforcement or search and rescue.
Sgt. Paul Bryant Jr., who heads the CCSO K-9 Unit, said he was pleased that K-9 Marley became available days after he called the Seeing Eye center to inquire about availability. He said demand for the services of K-9 Melody, who recently retired from the office, more than tripled during her tenure of more than four years at the Justice
Center.
Pickell, one of K-9 Melody’s former handlers, said she expected the transition to full-time K-9 comfort duties for Marley would be seamless.
“I’ll be continuing my contacts with the Crime Victims’ Center (of Chester County), judges and attorneys,” she said.
“I’m grateful that my first hire was a lovable K-9,” said Maddox, who took office Jan. 6. “I look forward to Marley being a source of comfort for participants in court proceedings for years to come.”
K-9 Melody retired when her handler, Lt. Harry McKinney, was terminated by Maddox in a reorganization of the office’s administration.