IMPACT OF THERAPY DOGS ON PERCEPTION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

Abstract

Amid national conversations about police accountability and injustice, therapy dogs in police stations may offer an innovative way to rebuild trust and improve police-community interactions. While prior research has demonstrated that dogs can enhance perceptions of trust, little is known about their influence on perceptions of police officers. This study examined the impact of therapy dog presence and officer gender on perceptions of police, as well as the role of participants' general attitudes toward law enforcement. A total of 362 University of Arizona undergraduates completed an anonymous online survey and were randomized to view one of four images: a male or female officer either alone or accompanied by a therapy dog. Participants rated officers on perceived friendliness, approachability, trustworthiness, comfort, and agreeableness, and completed a measure of attitudes toward law enforcement. Officers pictured with a therapy dog were rated more positively than those pictured alone (p = 0.003), and female officers were rated more positively than male officers (p < 0.001). Attitudes toward law enforcement were also positively associated with officer perception (r = .57, p < .001). These findings suggest that integrating therapy dogs into community policing may be a promising strategy to improve public opinion of law enforcement.