“As a parent of a K-9 police officer, this bill strikes a chord with me,” said Rep. Neese. “These dogs work with their handler on a daily basis and are a vital part of the police force.” The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Department has three and the City of Elkhart has seven dogs for a total of ten K-9 officers. The average work life of one of these dogs is seven to nine years. The bill requires a court to order a person convicted of the offense of striking, tormenting, injuring, mistreating, or interfering with the actions of a law enforcement animal while the animal is engaged in assisting a law enforcement officer to make restitution to the person or law enforcement agency that owns the animal. The individual convicted will also be required to pay for reimbursement of replacement costs of the animal if the animal is permanently disabled or killed. “These animals are a vital part of the law enforcement community. These dogs protect the citizens residing in the communities they serve and deserve our gratitude on the same level as our law enforcement officers,” said Rep. Neese. The bill now goes to the Governor’s desk to be signed into law. -30-
|
