Parkview Medical Center has drug dog-security team on duty
Pueblo CO Sept 5 2018 Public safety is not going to the dogs at Parkview Medical Center, but rather a drug-sniffing Labrador retriever named River now bolsters the hospital’s security.
Admired and liked by Parkview staff, the friendly black lab patrols the hospital’s expansive North Side campus with his handler, veteran Parkview security officer Arlene Workman, to detect marijuana, illegal narcotics and contraband.
It’s no small matter, with as many as 30 drug and/or contraband incidents in a given month.
“The issue of people outside of the hospital bringing in illicit narcotics into the hospital creates a safety issue for our staff and our visitors,” Parkview public relations specialist Jeff Tucker said. “And it’s disruptive to the healing process of our patients.”
Besides sniffing out trouble, River’s presence can “encourage people to leave that stuff out of the hospital. Don’t come in with it,” Tucker said.
River is trained simply to sit when he sniffs out something that shouldn’t be there, allowing the security staff to handle the rest.
He’s apparently fun to have around, too.
“He can brighten up the roughest day,” said Cheryl Shirley, who chairs the Parkview Foundation board, which funded River’s training through an $18,500 grant. In a sense, this dog is the hospital’s best friend.
