Sometimes, you just need to look a little bit to do the right thing. Of course, when you’re hanging out with arguably the most popular creature in the entire Bridgeport school system looking for those things becomes a labor of love instead of labor.

 

Such is the case for Bridgeport Police Officer Jamie Hamrick. Many of you know Hamrick for her long tenure as the highly popular School Resource Officer stationed out of BHS but working with all the schools in the city.

 

Now, Hamrick is taking a backseat to what’s in her backseat in the popularity polls. And she’s totally fine with that.

 

Hamrick’s Golden Retriever Connor, who is now a certified Therapy Dog, is also a member of the Bridgeport Police Department and the long-time officer’s almost daily sidekick during working hours and all of her at-home hours.

 

For the last several months, up until mid-March, Hamrick and Connor did their daily chores primarily at the schools located along Johnson and Philadelphia Avenue along with a few other calls to duty. Then, thanks to the Coronavirus pandemic, the schools shut down and things changed.

 

While Hamrick still had duties to attend to as a member of the Bridgeport Police Department, turns out Connor still has duties as well. And much of that duty is spreading joy and bringing smiles to faces throughout the city at a time when smiles are sometimes hard to come by.

 

“(Connor) still enjoys his trips immensely and going to work,” said Hamrick. “I think it’s because he’s convinced everyone loves him. The thing is, I think he’s right.”

 

Connor’s demeanor for easily accepting affection led Hamrick to get him certified as a therapy dog. Once that was finished, it led her to go through the hoops to get him into the schools and working with her on multiple days each week. He particularly enjoyed the schools and the attention the students paid to him, so one may wonder if he’s bummed about not being in the hallways getting his head patted and belly rubbed.

 

The answer would be no. And that’s because Hamrick and Connor have adapted, which also means occasional interaction with children.

 

“One of the things we’ve been doing and will continue doing on the new pickup day is going to (Bridgeport) Middle School during food pickup times for students if we’re not out on calls,” said Hamrick. “I always try to take him, and I have a 20-foot retractable leash where I can reel him out and back in a way that allows for proper social distancing between myself and anyone else that may be concerned.”

 

There’s additional interaction as well.

 

“On pretty days, we drive through neighborhoods with the window in the back halfway down and Connor just thinks that’s fabulous,” said Hamrick. “When I see kids riding their bikes or playing outside, I’ll slow down and more often than not one of the kids will yell ‘Connor.’ He gets excited and the kids do, too. We plan on doing that next week as the temperatures are expected to rise.”

 

 

Also, this coming week, Hamrick is hoping to do something like the “Bear Hunt” game that took place in Bridgeport and other communities. She hopes to do a “Spot Connor” game where she’s hoping individuals can snap a photo of Connor out and about and tag Hamrick and Connor on Connor’s very own Instagram page.

 

“It’s kind of way to let the kids have fun and engage with Connor,” said Hamrick, who said she’ll find ways to get that information out on social media, and perhaps Connect-Bridgeport, this coming week.

 

Hamrick also has been busy with Connor focusing on students that include BHS seniors. She’s been working with Connor on senior citizens as well. She was recently approached by Karen Anderson, who helped get Connor certified as a therapy dog, to take Connor to River Oaks Nursing Home in the Clarksburg, Nutter Fort area.

 

“It wasn’t my idea, but I was asked to go along during a recent visit,” said Hamrick.

 

And off they went. Eventually, the stops included a visit to the Meadowview Manor in Bridgeport – and there may be more in the future in the most unique of fashions.

 

At nursing homes, where Coronavirus outbreaks have been sadly rampant and even deadly, interaction with outsiders is almost non-existent outside of phone calls or facetime on a computer. Hamrick and Connor have found a way around it.

 

“It’s certainly different, but it’s working. They have to set up the resident to be aware that we’re coming and how we get to them is by knocking on their windows,” said Hamrick. “They look out the windows and the response, well, it’s just been awesome.

 

“There are some of the residents who don’t understand why we can’t come in, but even that turns out better than you would think,” she continued. “Eventually, you’ll see them smile too.”

 

What Hamrick has is a smile making machine that has done the trick at her home for the last three years, at BHS this school year and now during a pandemic whenever out in the public.

 

“Doing this, particularly at the moment and at those nursing homes, has been so rewarding,” said Hamrick. “I knew I had a cute dog and knew the kids would love him, but to see those at the nursing home, some with fading memories, remember their own dogs and smiling at their thoughts is a benefit I just never expected.  Not that I’ve had any regrets since bringing him with me, but if there was any regret those smiles would wipe that regret away.”

 

Smiles are the perfect therapy. And as a therapy dog, that means Connor is getting the job done.

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows Connor and Officer Jamie Hamrick visiting a nursing home, while Connor is enjoying a backseat view in the second photo. In the bottom picture, Connor is waiting on his boss and momma to head out for another day of work. Photos courtesy of Jamie Hamrick.