GBPD’s Therapy Dog to be Sworn in This Friday

Here's some great news and a first for a police department in Berkshire County. The Great Barrington Police Department is holding a "swearing in" ceremony for its new therapy dog, Officer Beko (@k9bekogbpd) on Friday, Sept. 25 at 2 p.m. at the police station.

Beko is the first therapy dog to join a police department in the Berkshires. In Great Barrington, he is another resource in the department's community policing efforts, which also include a staff mental health professional who is available to assist police on calls.

Beko is a 16-week old black Lab, with more than 1,000 followers on Instagram, @k9bekogbpd. He works with Officer Kris Balestro.

Beko's training, certification and care are funded by donations from the local community.

About the Great Barrington Police Department

The Great Barrington Police Department enhances the quality of life in the Town of Great Barrington by complying with best practices in law enforcement, including accountability of its employees, and by developing partnerships with the community and the other entities of government in a manner that promotes preservation of life and property, maintains peaceful public order, controls and expedites traffic, provides a safe environment, works with youth and tourists, assures timely response to victims of crime, fosters close cooperation with neighboring law enforcement agencies and assures the enforcement of law with respect for human dignity.