MUSKEGO, Wis. — Muskego High School has a special four-legged staff member who's making a significant difference in students' lives. Tito, a police dog with dual training in drug detection and therapy, has become an integral part of the school community.
As students returned to school this fall, many were heard calling out his name in the hallways. TMJ4 visited the school to learn more about how this unique K-9 officer is helping create a safer, more supportive environment for students.
"Everybody is happier when Tito enters the room," said Officer Adam Mrotek of the Muskego Police Department, who serves as the school's resource officer and Tito's handler.
According to Muskego Police, Tito is one of only two dogs in the country trained for both drug detection and therapy work in schools. While walking through the halls during passing periods, Officer Mrotek allows students to pet Tito briefly between classes, creating moments of connection throughout the day.
But Tito's impact goes far beyond casual interactions. He's specially trained to help students experiencing emotional distress or crisis situations.
"I was in the main office welcoming him, kind of getting things set up, and we had a student in the main office who was dysregulated, who was having just a really rough day, and honestly, it was like magic," said Todd Irvine, superintendent of Muskego Norway Schools. “It was just heart-warming to watch the student start to pet him and calm down, and it was a game-changer."
Watch: Back to school means back to work for Tito, the therapy K9
Officer Mrotek has observed Tito's natural ability to provide comfort.
"Anybody in distress, really, he's got a great knack for comforting them," Mrotek said.
While mental health support represents the largest part of Tito's responsibilities, he also serves an important safety function as a drug detection dog.
"There is a randomized set of classrooms that the backpacks and stuff will get searched," Mrotek explained.
The school has seen some results from these efforts.
"There has been an uptick, which is partly a good thing because if students bring it then we are doing a better job identifying it," Irvine said.
School officials emphasize that their ultimate goal is to identify students who may be struggling and connect them with appropriate support services.
"Sometimes when they are in in-school suspension, they are still needing that. Tito is always available," Mrotek said. "Tito being Tito flips and alters those situations."
Looking ahead, the school is working to expand Tito's capabilities. They're currently training him to detect smokeless gunpowder, which would enable him to find ammunition or potential weapons on school grounds.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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