St. Paul Police K9 Makes Special Visit To Children's Hospital

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- You can typically see police officers and their canine partners fighting crime on the streets of St. Paul. On Wednesday morning at Children's Hospital, one special team was on a very different mission.

For most of the year, St. Paul police officer Jay Curiel and canine officer Havoc work to catch criminals, locate lost children or sniff out narcotics.

Once a month, both take time out of their routine to visit patients at Children's Hospital.

Whether a child is suffering from an infection or recovering from a surgery, Havoc has been able to snuggle his way into many of their hearts.

"A dog doesn't judge. Dogs are here for companionship and to listen," Curiel said.

The visits also allow officers to connect with the community at a time when relationships can be strained.

St. Paul police has one of the largest canine units in the country. They have a canine officer on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

(credit: St. Paul Police Department)