FRISCO, Texas — There are nearly 250 Frisco Police officers. But it’s the department's newest recruit who is winning over the hearts of the community.
K9 Lynne is a 2-year-old labrador. Her handler Beau Riley said she started at the department earlier this fall working in the Crimes Against Children division.
"I can't picture my day-to-day life without her," Riley said. Lynne is not just any working dog — she represents the power of second chances and the value of empathy in the most unexpected places.
Lynne was raised and trained in a maximum-security prison in New York State, as part of an innovative program called Puppies Behind Bars.
The organization gives inmates, some of whom are serving life sentences, the opportunity to train dogs from eight weeks old until they’re two years old. The incarcerated individuals teach the dogs up to 40 different commands, preparing them for work with first responders, veterans, and other service roles.
Puppies Behind Bars started nearly 30 years ago in New York State. Susan Lobel is the Director of Communications for the PBB.
“There are all sorts of different reasons that people are in the places that they are and seeing this interaction with these hardened individuals... it’s a chance for them to give back,” she said.
Lobel said once the dogs reach two years, the inmates train officers and other first responders. Riley said Lynne is already making a huge impact with children out in the field.
“She wouldn’t be the dog she is today without someone who has made that mistake but has made that decision, ‘You know what, I’m still going to give something positive,’” said Riley.