Meet Molly the therapy dog, IFPD’s newest four-legged recruit

The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Police:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — The Idaho Falls Police Department recently welcomed Molly, a police therapy dog in training, to the team. Molly, a two-year-old golden retriever, is partnered with Officer Eric Lyke, who is serving as a school resource officer at the Alturas Academy schools.

Molly was previously owned by Brian Walker, former director of the 3B Juvenile Detention Facility. Walker started Molly’s training, including earning her Basic Canine Good Citizen certification, and utilized her within the facility, working with juveniles and staff. When Walker retired, he still wanted Molly to have the opportunity to serve in a similar capacity and offered her to the Idaho Falls Police Department. 

The Idaho Falls Police Department adopted her and placed her with Officer Lyke, with the support of the administration at Alturas Academy. Being paired with a school resource officer means that Molly spends her days interacting with kids and staff, both at Alturas Preparatory Academy (grades 6-12) and Alturas International Academy (grades K-5), and generally assisting her handler, Officer Lyke. 

School resource officers (SROs) have unique roles within law enforcement agencies. Like any other police officer, SROs investigate crimes and respond to safety concerns within their assigned areas. SROs also work to build rapport and familiarity between students and law enforcement, often acting as informal mentors and role models for students. Through the positive relationships they build, SROs often learn about safety or criminal issues from students that may otherwise go unreported. 

Officer Lyke, whose position at Alturas is new as of the 2025-2026 school year, calls Molly a ‘cheat code,’ making him even more approachable and helping him to connect with students who may otherwise be nervous around police officers. 

According to Officer Lyke, it is very common for students to stop by his office, in the halls, or wherever he may be, just to take a few minutes to pet and play with Molly. While often those interactions are casual, on occasion, students have sought comfort from Molly while grieving the loss of a family pet or processing school, social, or home stress. 

Molly has become a popular fixture at Alturas, as a subject for art and photography projects, an incentive and reward for good test scores and positive behavior, and with periodic appearances on the Alturas social media accounts. The Idaho Falls Police Department thanks the administration and staff at Alturas Academy for supporting Molly’s placement with Officer Lyke and for welcoming her into the schools. 

Officer Lyke has also utilized Molly on patrol, responding to calls for service and investigations within the larger community. While assisting with the response to a car accident, Officer Lyke was able to introduce children involved in the crash to Molly, helping them to process the stress of the crash and shift their focus to something positive. In another case, Molly was able to interact with a child at the center of a child abuse investigation, distracting the child while other officers spoke with the parents. 

During a recent political protest, Officer Lyke was nearby when officers were called to respond to a disturbance. After officers addressed the initial concern, Officer Lyke retrieved Molly from his patrol vehicle and spent a few minutes walking through the crowds. According to Officer Lyke, Molly’s presence helped to lower tensions from the disturbance. 

Officer Lyke and Molly also serve as part of the Idaho Falls Police TRUST team, an internal department resource that offers peer support to police officers and other staff. Molly is one of three dogs who are part of the IFPD wellness dog program, including one who is already a certified therapy dog. 

Thanks to the generosity of the Greater Idaho Falls Police Foundation and their $3,000 donation, Molly and her handler are receiving additional training through Idaho Elite K-9. With the help of Idaho Elite K-9, Molly is currently working towards completing her Advanced Canine Good Citizen and Urban Canine Good Citizen certifications. IFPD hopes to continue her training and certify Molly as a therapy animal in the future.