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Select Board accepts $10,000 donation to fund a police comfort dog for schools
Summary
The Lincoln Select Board voted to accept $10,000 from the Lincoln Police Benevolent Association to buy and support a certified comfort dog for the police department and the school resource officer program; town staff estimated ongoing costs at about $3,000 per year.
The Lincoln Select Board voted to accept $10,000 in unanticipated grant funds from the Lincoln Police Benevolent Association to secure a comfort dog for the Lincoln Police Department and the school resource officer program.
Town manager Jim D'Inio summarized program logistics and liability: under the statute cited at the hearing the dog will require monthly training that town staff expect can largely be completed on duty, and the town's property insurance is expected to cover liability concerns. "Ongoing costs ... are currently about $3,000 a year," D'Inio said when asked about veterinarian and food expenses. He also said the town intends to arrange for the canine handler to assume ownership of the dog at retirement for a nominal fee.
During questions, staff clarified that Watson, the department's current dog, was not certified as a comfort dog and is used mainly in controlled, one‑on‑one child‑advocacy interviews, whereas the new facility/comfort dog will be trained for broader school and critical‑incident use. The board moved, seconded and approved the acceptance of the $10,000 donation under RSA 31:95‑b; board members responded "Aye." The town expects the dog's internal training to finish in mid‑August, with pickup and deployment to schools anticipated in late August or the first week of September.
