4-Legged Officer Helping Child Victims In Dallas

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The little boy was absolutely terrified as he was ushered into the Dallas County investigator's office. After all, he was just four years old.

The child should have been in school or perhaps with a babysitter--anywhere other than sitting in a room with officers who were asking him to tell a story, a true story, about what he'd seen when he was much younger … when he was three years old.

The kid couldn't speak and there was a reason for that: little boys and girls should not have to talk about murder … even if they'd seen it with their own eyes … even if the person being killed was their grandmother. Witnessing an event like that would be tough for anyone, especially someone who hadn't learned to tie his shoes yet.

Then a different type of officer entered the room, wearing the same investigator's badge as everyone else, but far different in every other way. This one wagged his tail, wagged his tongue and slobbered a bit before lifting a paw to high-five the frightened boy.

Suddenly the day was not so dark. The boy felt like a kid again. He relaxed, remembered and told investigators what they needed to know to help send a man to prison for killing his grandma.

The boy also had a new friend: Roper, a two-year-old Golden Retriever who has also seen the inside of prison walls when he was a pup, being trained by women inmates to help people in need.

In Roper's case, he sees between 30 and 40 kids a week at the Dallas District Attorney's Office, helping to put them at ease as they are asked to describe what they know about serious crimes, either as victims or as witnesses.

The information is often vital in prosecuting cases. "Some of them have been through hell," said Sgt. Thad LaBarre, a seasoned law enforcement officer and child abuse investigator for the DA's office.

LaBarre said Roper's friendly, mild-mannered demeanor, and incredible ability to relate with children, helps the youngest and most vulnerable victims of crimes share their stories with investigators and prosecutors.

Roper will also lead a child to the doors of a courtroom and wait patiently outside as the kid climbs into the witness chair to tell his story to a judge and jury.

After testimony, the dog will then greet the child as he or she leaves the court, often trembling from the trauma. "They get finished testifying and they're in tears," explained LaBarre, who is Roper's handler and "partner" at the DA's office. "But 20 or 30 minutes with Roper and they're just another three- or four-year-old kid again."

LaBarre, who has extensive experience as a canine officer, said Roper is the most effective four-legged officer he has ever seen. "It breaks my heart to see some of these kids come in here the way they are … and then to see my partner be able to make their day a little brighter means the world to me."

Law enforcement was not Roper's first career choice. As a puppy he was selected to be a part of Patriot PAWS, an organization based in Rockwall that trains service dogs for disabled military veterans.

Training for the program is done at the Texas State Prison Mountain View Unit. Inmates at the all-women's prison teach the dogs how to help the disabled when they are in need, either by going for help or fetching something that can assist the veteran.

Apparently, though, that line of work sounded like too much heavy lifting for Roper. "He's more of a lover than he is a worker," said Lori Stevens, executive director of Patriot PAWS.

Roper's laid back ways became clear when inmates tried to teach him what to do when someone fell and needed assistance. Instead of fetching for help, the eager pup simply saw someone lying on the ground and thought it was nap time.

"Roper, he would rather lay down with you than pick up something you've dropped," Stevens said of the dog. "He'd like to lay his head in your lap instead of going for help."

There was something else, she said, that set Roper apart from the pack. He always tried to skip dog-training classes so he could play with the kids when they came to visit their mothers in prison. "He loves children," Stevens recalled.

So when the Dallas District Attorney's Office called asking for a dog that could help them build a bond with child victims, Stevens said Roper immediately came to mind. "This was a perfect fit for him because he can go into the children's room and just lay there with them. He has a calming affect on them," she said.

Nowadays, Roper walks the halls of the Dallas DA's office like he runs the place, wearing a police patch on his vest and wagging his tail at anyone who cares to notice.

District Attorney Craig Watkins had nothing but high praise for the dog. "He's been a tremendous asset to our office."

While the boy who saw his grandmother killed no doubt has all kinds of visions popping in and out of his head, time with Roper is a memory he will always want to keep.