Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) will be swearing in 10-week-old Rex, a black labrador puppy, on Tuesday, May 25, 2021.

Rex will be working with Deputy John Gray, the school resource officer (SRO) assigned to all the LPS elementary schools that are located in Centennial. Rex’s assignment is to serve as a therapy dog. His mission is to bring happiness and decreased stress to elementary students. Deputy Gray says, “Mental health is an ongoing concern, particularly with our youth. There is a chemical change in the brain that reduces the stress when people pet and interact with a dog.” The press release from ACSO states, “Deputy Gray and and Rex will work with students with special needs, be a comfort to students in crisis or during times of stress and help those who suffer from anxiety or depression.”

Rex still has a lot of training to go through to learn how to do his new job. He will spend the next year learning how to follow commands, and then he will go through the American Kennel Club (AKC) steps required to becoming an AKC Certified Therapy Dog.

Littleton Public Schools is excited to have Rex in our schools and working with Deputy Gray to bring positivity to students. This is a wonderful partnership!