The Brightside: Walter the comfort canine wins hearts

DELAWARE. – Walter isn’t your average police canine. He’s not using his nose to sniff out crime or detect bombs; he uses his intuitive nature to comfort people.

Walter is Delaware State Police’s first ever comfort canine. His handler, Master Corporal Kristin Heckman, got the five-year old pup back in July. They’ve been bonding ever since. She remembers their first day in the office together.

“He had everybody laughing, so it really helps out in the office,” Heckman said. “I work at headquarters, so there’s a lot of people that work at headquarters, and he brings joy and laughter to everybody in the workplace.”

Kristin said the pair help ease the worries of folks in tense situations– it’s what Walter’s good at.

“Now you throw a dog into this interview, and they can sit there, and they can pet the dog, and they feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more relaxed, and a lot more willing to open up while we’re asking them questions, while we’re asking them what they saw,” Heckman said.

And unlike his patrol dog counterparts, Kristin said Walter has a natural ability to win the hearts of people who aren’t the biggest fan of dogs.

“A lot of people are more afraid of German shepherds, maybe that rottweiler, people who aren’t familiar or aren’t comfortable with dogs,” Heckman said.