Later this month, there will be a special swearing in ceremony for the newest member of the Barrington Police Department: Levi.

The eight-week-old English Labrador retriever will serve as the department’s first-ever community engagement dog. 

“I think he is going to be a real, real good addition to the police department,” said Barrington Police Chief Michael Correia. “I think the town is going to fall in love with this dog. And they will get to see the dog grow up. 

“He’ll melt your heart for sure.”

Chief Correia said the department has been considering getting a comfort/community engagement dog for some time. Last summer, during a candlelight vigil held for the Sowams School community after it tragically lost two teachers, Chief Correia witnessed comfort dogs in action. He said the experience helped him fully understand the impact comfort dogs can have.

“It kind of solidified it in my mind,” he said, adding that Levi is not trained for typical K-9 police work, such as tracking or detecting firearms. 

Barrington Police reached out to Boonefield Labradors, a breeder of therapy/comfort dogs based in Rindge, NH. Boonefield has already placed dogs with the Bristol Police Department and Tiverton PD, said Chief Correia.

The Chief said the breeder donated the retriever to the department, and asked that the dog be named Levi, after its grandfather. Dogs from this breeder typically sell for about $3,500, Chief Correia said. 

“I’ve been involved in policing for over 37 years, and I don’t consider myself a dog person… but I am personally very excited about this. I think it’s going to be a runaway hit in this town,” Chief Correia said. 

When it came time to select a police officer to partner with Levi, Chief Correia held an internal interview process. He selected Officer Michael Gregorzek, a 16-year veteran of the department. 

“Officer Gregorzek has a real strength for community engagement,” Chief Correia said. “We’re hoping it’s going to be a real positive community engagement tool with the police department and the town.”

Officer Gregorzek, whose family dog had passed away last fall, said he is very excited about his new partner. He said he has been counting down the days until Aug. 17 when he gets to pick up Levi from the breeder. 

“I’m like a kid waiting for Christmas,” Officer Gregorzek said. “This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Officer Gregorzek is well-suited for the partnership — his family had dogs while he was growing up. In fact, his father was a K-9 Trooper with the Connecticut State Police. 

Officer Gregorzek said Boonefield Labradors has been preparing Levi for his work in Barrington. They have taken him to senior centers, gun ranges and fireworks displays, Officer Gregorzek said. 

“He’ll be ready to go from day one,” he said. 

Officer Gregorzek said his police cruiser is currently being outfitted for his new partner. It will have a special system that can detect an increase in the interior temperature of the vehicle and instantly enact safety measures — switching on air conditioning and opening windows. There will also be a special sliding door between the front seats and the rear seats, allowing Levi to visit Officer Gregorzek up front.

Once Levi arrives in town, he will live full-time with Officer Gregorzek and his family. 

“We’ll be together 24-7,” he said. 

Levi’s on-duty work will include plenty of community engagement, with visits to the senior center, playgrounds, Atria Bay Spring Living, and other spots. Officials are also hoping to have Levi work in Barrington Public Schools. 

Like comfort dogs in Bristol and Tiverton, Levi will also do work outside of the community, when necessary. 

“They get all over the state. They’re popular wherever they go,” Officer Gregorzek said.