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02/02/2011 11:00 PMPolice Chief Jack Drumm is thinking about bringing back the Police Department's K-9 program. He included it in his 2011-2012 proposed budget, calling it a "wish," not a necessity, and when members of the boards of Selectmen and Finance asked him about the request, he had a question of his own.
"I think I can raise the money for this program out in the community," he stated. "Is that what you want me to do?"
Drumm didn't get a final answer and, in fact last week said he had not made a final decision.
"Can I survive without it? Yes," he told the board members at a budget workshop two weeks ago. "Can I go out in the community and fundraise for a dog? Yes, I think I can and I'm willing to do that, but I need to ask-is this a town function and responsibility?"
The general consensus is leaning heavily toward community fundraising. Drumm gives credit to the members of the Madison Property Owners Association (MPOA) for the suggestion.
The program's start-up costs will be $10,000, including $6,500 for the purchase of the dog, with annual maintenance for the program estimated at $2,000. Drumm believes veterinary services will be donated.
A K-9 program will not be new for the department. At one time it had a program that lasted approximately 10 years, ending in 1998. Over that time, the program used three dogs with three separate officers.
The Board of Police Commissioners began considering re-establishing a canine program back in August. At present, Madison calls on neighboring departments when it uses a police dog. In the month of June, it used Hamden's police dog six times, Drumm said.
The dog purchased by the Madison department would be used "in various aspects of patrol," Drumm said, noting that it would be a tracking dog, useful in search and rescue. "There are many aspects of patrol in which a dog can be an asset."
Other departments that have shared their dogs include the state police, Middletown, Branford, and Old Saybrook. Although these departments are generous in sharing their resources, the dog may not always be available and response times can be 45 minutes or longer.
If the final decision is made, the dog would be a male German shepherd, purchased not donated, and would be used as a patrol dog. He would be assigned to one officer as a handler and live with the handler and his or her family. The dog would have a working life of six to eight years.
Training would be conducted by the Connecticut Police Work Dog Association. The initial course is 12 weeks. There is also a requirement of 16 hours per month of in-service training and a recertification biannually. Labor laws required that the handler be compensated for the care and maintenance of the police dog. Drumm said the handler's work schedule would be incorporated into the standard patrol shift with details negotiated with the union.