Rudy steals the show

Last November the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) opened a substation in Solon at 223 S. Iowa St. The building (named in honor of former mayor Steve Stange), which has served as Solon’s first firehouse and home to Solon’s own police force (complete with a jail cell), city hall, and library; provides space for deputies to complete their reports (without having to drive
to Iowa City) and meet with people in private.

Last Saturday the JCSO held an open house at the substation with tours, donuts, and games for kids.

The star of the event however, was Rudy, the JCSO’s Crisis Response Canine, who appeared in his full working uniform complete with his own JCSO Deputy’s badge.

“He’s a mixed breed, about two years old and we’ve had him for about two years,” said Detective Sergeant Alissa Schuerer, Rudy’s trained handler.

Rudy has a different assignment from most law enforcement K-9’s. He doesn’t chase down criminals, or search for explosives or drugs. Instead, Rudy is trained for compassion and consoling.

“We utilize him for a couple different things,” said Schuerer. “One being victims and witnesses of crime. We utilize him to help lessen their anxiety and make it easier to report things. We also use him for first responders after they’ve been through a critical incident as a way to de-stress and ease their mental health. There’s science that shows being around a dog increases the good hormones in our brains and lessens the harmful hormones.”

Rudy is also an ambassador for the JCSO appearing at community engagements and events, such as the open house. Schuerer explained the JCSO went through Crisis Canines of the Midlands (https://crisiscaninesmidlands.org), a non-profit organization, to acquire Rudy.

As a reminder the office is not staffed routinely. To arrange to meet with a deputy call 319-356-6800 (for non-emergencies only). In an emergency, dial 9-1-1.