The Notre Dame Police Department (NDPD) Comfort K9 program has added two furry friends walking around campus: Orla and Finn. Their mission is to support all members of the Notre Dame community, including faculty, staff and students.
Orla, the 15-month-old fox red labrador retriever, was the first dog of the Comfort K9 program, arriving at Notre Dame in late 2023. She has a calm but lively personality and loves to play fetch on the soccer fields in the back of campus. Paul Foley, manager for the NDPD’s Outreach & Engagement and Social Media, is the primary handler for Orla, with access control coordinator TJ Dockery serving as her back-up handler.
Finn, the 12-month-old yellow labrador retriever, is new to the University’s program this semester and is still undergoing training. He is calm, laid-back and enjoys belly rubs. Finn’s primary handler is officer Evan Drinkall, and his back-up handler is officer Stephanie Palmer.
The NDPD received both dogs from Top Notch Service Dogs, who started training the dogs at just eight weeks old.
“Top Notch picks the dogs, and then we tell them what we are looking for,” Palmer said.
At the start of the K9 program, Orla was chosen out of a litter of nine.
“They did a test with her and said, ‘Oh, she’s going to be a university dog.’ The other eight went to elementary school, so they figured she was the one that could handle university,” Foley said.
Orla started her training with her current handler at eight weeks old, while Finn had previously been training in a prison program before being adopted into the Notre Dame family.
“They actually brought three dogs in. Evan and I looked at them and said, ‘We really like this guy.’ He’s chill, he’s comfortable, he’s not skittish. It was between [Finn] and his sister, and we chose him,” Officer Palmer said.
The typical training for the K9 program can take anywhere from 12 to 14 months and consists of desensitization to large groups of people, loud noises and animals, including the notorious squirrels of Notre Dame’s campus. Both dogs have become accustomed to the police sirens riding around campus in the NDPD’s squad cars and frequently take rides in golf carts around campus.
“He was at the international student fire jam, and he fell asleep next to the speaker,” Officer Palmer said, accounting how well Finn is coming along in his training.
The average day of these canines is like any other dog. Orla starts off her morning with a walk, and then she heads to campus for work from 6:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. During the workday, she walks around campus, attends certain designated events and enjoys lots of rest during her breaks.
According to Foley, after work, Orla “lies down on the floor. She chills. I do let her on my couch. I don’t let her sleep with me. She’s still in the crate right now.”
Following Orla’s shift, Finn’s workday starts at 3 p.m. and ends at 1 a.m. His day consists of following his handlers’ daily duties as police officers.
“We still have to answer calls, we still have to do traffic stops,” Palmer said. After work, Finn goes home to decompress with his primary handler.
Finn and Orla, as part of the K9 program, are meant to help students de-stress before exams, help faculty members decompress after work and offer emotional support to students who miss their dogs.
The NDPD is looking to expand its K9 program to assist and support students’ mental health with the stress of college life. They also aim to comfort members of the campus community who may have experienced a tragic loss, traumatic event or another crisis.
“They can go in, and this person might not talk to us, might not tell us what’s wrong, but they might tell a dog,” Palmer said.
Students can expect to see Orla and Finn at home football games, NDPD outreach events and on their daily walks around campus.
“They are here to help, so do not be afraid to say hi,” Foley said.
