NASSAU COUNTY, Fla. — The search for Patrick McDowell left many NCSO officers drained and emotional. That’s why the sheriff’s office decided to do something about it. Capt. Kay Lynn Crews is the Captain of Corrections — and she has a very important tool.
“What we have gone through, as an agency, in the last week... has been… something that no agency ever wants to have to handle to go through,” Crews said.
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Tank the comfort dog was used Sunday to comfort struggling officers during the search.
“All of the stress that has been on not only our agency but the agencies that have come through and helped us, he was just a ray of light as he walked through the building and let everyone just take a minute to focus on him.
“The moment we walked in, people started smiling and standing up and walking over and saying, ‘there’s Tank! There’s tank! We’ve been waiting on your Tank!’”
The comfort dog is usually used with victims, children and those being helped by the sheriff’s office. This week, he helped his coworkers.
“Tank’s served out his purpose by being there, and letting people from every agency — let them take their minds from the horrific events that brought us all together the last few days.”
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Officers from every agency — federal, state and local, all took a moment to be comforted.
“Watching him work and watching him talk to the officers, by just being there, just his presence, you could see everyone relax.”
It was a small moment of light for the officers working through so much.
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