Illinois Launches Nation’s First Law Enforcement Therapy Canine Certification Program (Springfield, IL) – Illinois law enforcement officials have announced what they say is the nation’s first formal certification program for therapy canines used by police, a new initiative designed to strengthen crisis response, peer support and community engagement across the state.
The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board (ILETSB), in partnership with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office, unveiled the certification framework this week, establishing statewide standards for officers and their trained therapy dogs who respond to crisis situations and traumatic events.
The three-day certification course includes classroom instruction, field training, scenario-based exercises and a final team assessment. According to ILETSB, the curriculum incorporates Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) principles, co-response models, peer support strategies and advanced canine-handling techniques to ensure teams can safely and effectively assist individuals experiencing trauma or crisis.
Once certified, therapy canine teams will be integrated into ILETSB’s mutual aid deployment system, allowing them to be dispatched to communities during large-scale emergencies or critical incidents. Program participants have already been deployed to schools in Chatham, Harvey, Summit and Chicago, as well as to out-of-state locations in Colorado following tragic events, officials said.
“I am extremely proud of the ILETSB team for expanding on the success of our training and services to build this new program that will allow police officers to better respond to those in crisis throughout Illinois,” said Sean Smoot, chairman of the ILETSB board.
The program was developed in collaboration with the Cook County Sheriff’s Office’s nationally recognized Tails of Redemption initiative, which pairs canine rehabilitation with job training for individuals in Cook County Jail custody. Participants in the program help train rescued dogs in basic obedience, with some animals later receiving additional preparation for therapy work alongside law enforcement.
“Rehabilitation is at the heart of Tails of Redemption,” Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart said. “The men in this program learn so much about how they are capable of making a positive difference for the dogs in their care. Our therapy dog training builds on these efforts by helping law enforcement support our communities in times of need.”
ILETSB officials said staff worked closely with Tails of Redemption leaders and subject-matter experts to develop certification standards that reflect best practices, operational needs and public expectations. Illinois’ long-standing leadership in crisis intervention training was a key foundation for the new program.
With the passage of Public Act 104-106, ILETSB now has explicit authority to establish standards for therapy canine teams operating in law enforcement settings statewide.
“As the use of therapy canines within law enforcement continues to grow, we saw an opportunity to ensure they adhere to specific standards while allowing officers greater opportunities to use them,” said Jennifer Wooldridge, ILETSB deputy director of operations, state CIT coordinator and handler of Therapy K-9 Trooper.
Illinois’ Crisis Intervention Team program, now approaching its 25th anniversary, emphasizes de-escalation, communication and trauma-informed response. Officials said the new therapy canine certification is designed to complement, not replace, those established practices.
ILETSB and the Cook County Sheriff’s Office said the certification framework marks the first phase of a broader effort to formalize and expand therapy canine standards statewide. The agencies aim to have a fully operational certification program in place by summer 2026, with ongoing evaluation to ensure effectiveness and integrity.
Illinois Launches Nation’s First Law Enforcement Therapy Canine Certification Program
