By Marie Adamick
Effingham Daily News, Ill.
EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ill. — Deputy Dale joined the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office in December 2023 as its first remedy canine.
He is a 4-year-old superior Ok-9 Good Citizen poodle combine from Brevard County, Florida. Now-retired School Resource Officer Alex Ritz discovered of a program there that takes canine which are keen to work from their animal shelter, and county inmates assist practice them. Each canine has to move sure exams and meet sure requirements for approachability, demeanor and obedience. After the canine is absolutely educated, a handler from a police division will journey to coach with the canine for per week. The coaching and adoption charge are free.
When Ritz approached Sheriff Paul Kuhns with the thought of getting a remedy canine, Kuhns was hesitant for just a few causes, together with value and the aim of getting one.
Around that very same time, there was an lively sexual assault case involving youngsters, and the youngsters needed to testify. A couple of individuals introduced up the thought of bringing a remedy canine into the courthouse’s ready room as a result of youngsters are extra keen to speak to a canine in conditions like that. But Kuhns nonetheless hesitated.
Then-Detective Tom Webb, who now serves as deputy chief, suggested Kuhns to rethink remedy canine as a result of they are often very useful, he mentioned. Kuhns then allowed Donna Rouleau to deliver her remedy canine into the courthouse to assist help within the case.
“What a difference they say it made. Those parents still talk about that,” mentioned Kuhns. “They were so thankful to have him there, and that’s when I first saw that maybe there is something to this.”
Soon after that, Deputy Dale joined the sheriff’s workplace.
“It’s a barrier breaker because when people see Dale, they’re not scared so much anymore,” mentioned Kuhns. “Maybe they don’t talk to the police officers so much, but they want to talk to Dale, and they want to pet him and they want to look at him and rub his ears.”
Everybody on the sheriff’s workplace likes to see Deputy Dale, mentioned Kuhns. The canine remembers who offers him treats, so these are his favourite individuals. Sometimes when Deputy Dale is within the workplace similtaneously Sheriff Kuhns , he’ll stare via Kuhns’ workplace door window till both he or another person within the workplace offers him treats or consideration. The solely time Deputy Dale needs to be round Kuhns is when he has treats. And he is aware of precisely the place in his workplace they’re.
“I think that it softens or changes the image that we put forth as an organization. I think Dale helps us soften that a little bit,” mentioned Kuhns. “We do more than the police work that you would think … and I think Dale helps promote that image.”
Some individuals might argue that the sheriff’s workplace is losing money and time on a remedy canine, however he doesn’t use any tax {dollars}. The advantages he offers are effectively price it, says Kuhns.
“I made the joke before that, thank goodness, when I had to run for sheriff that he couldn’t run,” mentioned Kuhns. “Because I bet he would’ve beat me. I worry about that. That’s how popular Dale is.”
When Officer Ritz left the sheriff’s workplace, School Resource Officer Chris Greuel grew to become Deputy Dale’s handler in June 2025 – about two months earlier than the 2025-2026 college yr started. He was excited to be a faculty useful resource officer, and Dale was simply an added bonus. Officer Greuel’s youngsters and spouse had at all times wished an indoor pet, so he was glad to be Deputy Dale’s new handler.
The duo visits each Teutopolis Unit 50 colleges and Dieterich Unit 30 colleges day by day to brighten individuals’s day. Whenever doable, in addition they help in emergency occasions, reminiscent of automotive accidents, to assist calm individuals.
In 2025, Greuel and Deputy Dale have been on responsibility when a rolllover automotive accident occurred in Dieterich involving a mom and a younger little one.
“It was actually more interesting to see the mother react with him. She was in a little bit more of a crisis mode than the kid was,” mentioned Greuel. “She just sat there and petted Dale for five or 10 minutes, and cooled off a little bit. So it was really cool to see him work in a high-stress environment, as opposed to a school full of kid chaos. So he has a way with people. He’s very good at it.”
As a faculty useful resource officer, Greuel is the sheriff’s liaison with the colleges, serving to with crime prevention and instructing security lessons.
“They’re looking out for the welfare and the benefit of everyone there, but especially the kids,” mentioned Kuhns. “They also serve as a deterrent, and they’re well trained to deal with any violence that would happen at the schools.”
When the climate permits them, Officer Greuel and Deputy Dale stand outdoors of the colleges throughout drop-off to assist make the transition slightly smoother for youthful youngsters, whether or not they’re having a tough morning or they don’t need to depart their dad and mom.
“I get a lot of good reactions early in the morning,” mentioned Greuel.
Throughout the varsity day, the pair roam the halls to search for schoolchildren who may want slightly cheering up. It’s Deputy Dale’s official responsibility to brighten individuals’s days, and he typically will get the occasional deal with for it.
“The way he’s trained, he doesn’t negatively react to anybody. He’s pretty good at handling all sorts of inputs from people, all sorts of stress levels and how they approach him. He handles them all very well,” mentioned Greuel. “He gets clobbered pretty much as soon as he gets to the school, so we try to keep kids from crowding him too much. But he does so well with it. I’m impressed by how well he does with it, to be honest.”
They additionally go to the children throughout recess and between lessons within the halls.
Having Deputy Dale actually helps Greuel together with his job as a faculty useful resource officer as a result of it’s simpler to achieve youngsters’ belief and do an efficient job with a canine. Deputy Dale actually helps bridge the hole between youngsters and officers.
When Deputy Dale will get drained all through the work day, he’ll get moody with Greuel, who says it’s much like dragging a brick round.
“God bless, Alex. It was all his idea, and he put all the work into it. I don’t think the county realizes how blessed they were for him doing all that,” mentioned Greuel. “That [Florida] county and their sheriff’s department for putting that together, that’s really impressive to me.”
During college visits to Teutopolis Unit 50 and Dieterich Unit 30, Greuel and Deputy Dale attempt to see everybody, however that’s not at all times doable.
“The kids love him,” mentioned Teutopolis Grade School Secretary Amber Probst . “When they come in here and he’s in the office, then absolutely, we’re excited to see him!”
Seeing Deputy Dale is the spotlight of Probst’s day, and she or he at all times offers him treats when she sees him.
“And if I’m not here, I make sure whoever is here gives him his treats,” mentioned Probst.
Teutopolis Grade School Principal Sherry Hoehn mirrored on when the duo welcomes college students throughout drop off: It helps with the transition, particularly the youthful college students.
“He’s a good addition to the team. Especially at the beginning of the year when we’ve got our littles that are a little nervous about coming to school and leaving mom and dad, Chris and Deputy Dale stand out front and greet the students as they come in,” mentioned Hoehn. “I feel like kids that maybe are a little shy sometimes, they’ll make conversation either with Chris or Dale just because Dale is there.”
Dieterich Grade School Counselor Lauren Fowler says she loves having Deputy Dale round as a result of he’s been actually useful when upset college students come into her workplace, particularly with youthful college students.
“Just having him walk them to class has been helpful,” mentioned Fowler. “Kids who I know have trauma or other problems, I can see them relax around him and feel more at home while at school.”
There haven’t been any issues between Deputy Dale and college students as a result of the children love him, says Fowler.
“I see them [the kids] smile more. I see them interact with Deputy Greuel, and I think that would be hard, otherwise, to do,” mentioned Fowler. “The kids who have trauma or I know they’re having a bad day, and they see him in the hall, they get down and they pet him and they smile and it makes them happy for a little bit.
“I like the fact that he’s a therapy dog,” Fowler added. “It kind of takes away from the stigma with mental health. I feel like it puts the face of mental health out there a little bit, too.”
Deputy Dale is aware of his solution to the cafeteria in each colleges as a result of that’s one other spot the place he will get day by day treats.
“He brightens our day,” mentioned Dieterich Unit 30 Director of Nutrition Misty Lindeman . “The kids love Dale . They love to pet him, play with him … It makes a difference for the kids.”
After Deputy Dale and Greuel are dwelling for the day, Greuel takes off the bandanna Dale wears, and when he does, Dale acts utterly totally different. He will get the zoomies and performs with Greuel’s youngsters as a result of he is aware of he’s finished for the day.
“It’s been good for our office. I think it’s good for the public. It’s good for the kids. It’s been positive,” mentioned Kuhns. “It’s all been positive when it comes to Dale and what he does.”
Editor’s Note: This story appeared within the Spring 2026 version of Effingham Magazine , printed by the Effingham Daily News on March 31.
Superintendent Robyn Castillo despatched a message to the Sacramento metropolis supervisor requesting that the town reinstate its contract that assigned full-time law enforcement officials to Natomas colleges
Huntsville officers mentioned the settlement will complement the division’s current recruitment program by introducing extra instruments, methods and business greatest practices
“This is building relationships with youth, and it’s an excellent way to break down barriers between law enforcement and the kids,” Johnstown Police Officer Chas Cypher mentioned
After asking how officers deal with dangerous days, a younger boy sparked a nationwide effort delivering 4,500 stuffed rhinos to remind cops they’re not alone
© 2026 the Effingham Daily News (Effingham, Ill.). Visit www.effinghamdailynews.com.
Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Integration connects YASSI’s automobile file lookup infrastructure with Autura’s TowLien lien processing workflow, delivering quicker response occasions, normalized information and extra environment friendly entry for tow operators nationwide