Amador County – The Ione City Council approved the purchase of a new dual-role canine that will offer both patrol and narcotics detection services for the city.
The council authorized City Manager Kim Kerr to sign a purchase agreement after the city attorney approves the contract language, not to exceed $11,000 for the canine, and for the dog and its handler.
The purchase was paid for by an Ione Police Department fundraiser hosted October 23rd by Arroyo Seco Ranch, which raised more than $20,000. Chief Michael Johnson requested purchase of a German shepherd, asking that it be first trained as a patrol dog.
Kerr in a report to the council said “Johnson and other reliable K-9 trainers” evaluated and tested the dog, whose name is “Pras,” and the chief negotiated a competitive price, including training.
The city hired Johnson in 2007, and also purchased “Hawke,” a “narcotic detection dog,” which the chief was trained to handle. Johnson and Hawke have helped with the Amador County Combined Narcotics Enforcement Team, and contributed “to numerous narcotics investigations in the county.”
Johnson said in a report to the council that “to help promote career enhancement” and “offer auxiliary duties for police officers,” he intends on retiring Hawke and replacing him with a dual purpose K-9.
He said “dual purpose canines are much more efficient for a small department and rural communities,” as the dog can help with patrol work, protection and apprehension and would also be able to help with narcotics detection, after further training.
Johnson said Hawke was brought to Ione “with the intentions of establishing a comprehensive K-9 program that could eventually be removed from the duties of the chief of police and offered as a specialty position for an interested officer.”
The “foundation, policy, and vehicle are now in place for the position,” he said, and by “transferring the K-9 position to a street level officer the opportunity and use of the canine will be vastly increased,” and the “K-9 team will better be able to handle calls for service that would typically require a two-officer response.”
Kerr said the city would “incur additional costs for having a patrol officer as the K-9 team member due to overtime and maintaining the K-9 after hours.” But she said the “benefit of having a dual purpose K-9 in 18 months will exceed the costs.”
Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
