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Board approves addendum to include therapy dog in SRO memorandum with Elkhart Community Schools
Summary
The Board of Public Safety approved an addendum to the memorandum of understanding with Elkhart Community Schools to allow one therapy dog to be used by a school resource officer; deputy city attorney said the change will be reflected in a revised MOU returned for approval later this year.
The City of Elkhart Board of Public Safety voted July 14 to approve an addendum to the MOU with Elkhart Community Schools to permit one therapy dog to be used by a school resource officer (SRO). Kevin Davis, deputy city attorney, said a local provider (identified in the record as Thor) is supplying the therapy dog and that the updated SRO MOU will return to the board later this year for approval.
Kevin Davis told the board the current MOU covers school resource officers and that the addendum simply includes the therapy dog in the agreement. The deputy city attorney said the arrangement involves one dog and that three officers are assigned the related responsibility; one SRO will be the primary handler of the therapy dog.
The board approved the addendum by motion and authorized the chief of police to sign the addendum on the board’s behalf.
Why it matters: The addendum allows the police‑school partnership to formally include a therapy dog intended to support students and SRO work; a full updated SRO MOU will be provided to the board later for comprehensive approval.
Representative quote: “So we're adjusting the MOU to include the therapy dog,” Deputy City Attorney Kevin Davis said.
Next steps: The city attorney’s office will return with a full updated SRO MOU for formal board approval later this year; the chief is authorized to sign the immediate addendum.
