Crisis K-9s are becoming more common in Iowa law enforcement

About 40 dogs have been certified or are being trained as crisis response K-9s to provide comfort after critical incidents, and local programs in Coralville and Johnson County feature dogs such as Karl and Rudy.

K-9 units in Iowa are increasingly being trained to provide comfort after critical incidents. These crisis response K-9s are therapy-style dogs placed with police, fire and emergency services. The effort has grown since 2022, supported in part by the nonprofit Crisis Canines of the Midlands. Local examples include Coralville’s Karl and Johnson County’s Rudy. Key details: - About 40 dogs have been certified or are in training as crisis K-9s, with 36 working in Iowa and four placed in other states (Mississippi, Nebraska, Maine and Minnesota). - Crisis Canines of the Midlands, founded in 2022 and based in Colfax, provides much of the training used by agencies across the state. - Training exposes dogs to helicopters, drones, lights, sirens and other unusual sights and sounds so they remain calm in emergency settings. - Karl is a 7-month-old Australian Labradoodle with the Coralville Police Department who began training at about 4 months; he is named for Sgt. John Karl Williams and his purchase and training cost about $10,000, paid by Iowa City Scheels. - Rudy is a 3-year-old mixed-breed rescue with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office who graduated in Spring 2024 and logged nearly 100 hours connecting with more than 4,600 people in 2025. - Handler training emphasizes dog psychology, body language and recognizing when a dog is uncomfortable or unsure. Summary: These dogs are used to support victims, witnesses, officers and others after difficult calls and to provide a calming presence at stations and events. Karl remains in training and must be a year old to graduate, making the next expected milestone the fall graduation; the broader program has continued to expand across agencies.