Having served over 42 years in Law Enforcement people often ask why I don’t just retire and enjoy life. The easy answer is too young still, or I’m waiting for Medicare and closer to the truth the second unit can’t stand me around her house 24 hours a day. But I still love the work. Dealing with people in crisis is what I do.
But what about our four legged police officers? The horses and canines we use in the field every day. I have found that they also enjoy their work and often get depressed when not working due to a handler’s vacation or illness.
As police officers who are susceptible to serious injury from day to day work they can’t tell us their backs or hips hurt more and more each time they jump in and out of cruisers. Police vehicles are made for people, not for the comfort or safety of dogs.
Horses are not made to stand or run 8 hours a day on asphalt and concrete. A very large and strong animal compared to the human who rides them, horses eventually grow old and must retire to the field of clover. But as government property, it was not always clear about who is responsible for the animal once they are “retired.”
What of the working police animals that are still capable of working but their handler had been promoted or leaves for another job? Ohio finally addressed this subject in the Ohio Revised Code in 1998.
Horses and dogs become a part of family of the handler and as such it was quite traumatic to tear away a family member who reaches the golden years. Notice I do not add myself to this group. Sometimes the second unit would gladly send me to a golden retirement home.
What Ohio has put into words about the topic is very clear and concise. If the police agency disbands their canine or mounted units all together, the handler is given the opportunity to purchase their fellow officer for $1.
Should the animal become too old to continue on active duty, the handler is given the opportunity to purchase their partner for $1. Once the animal is purchased by the handler, that officer becomes responsible for the care, feeding and all related costs the same as they would a normal (non police) pet.
If the officer cannot board and maintain an animal and chooses to not purchase the animal, the animal’s destiny lies in the law dealing with surplus government equipment. This would entail being sold at auction and hopefully by a group who rescues these animals.
Should the animal still be young enough to keep on working, they may be assigned to a new handler. In this situation the handler forfeits the right to purchase the animal.
Following is Ohio Revised Code Section 9.62 dealing with the Purchase of a police dog or horse.
9.62 Purchase of police dog or horse.
(A) As used in this section:
(1) “Police dog or horse” means a dog or horse that has been trained, and may be used, to assist law enforcement officers in the performance of their official duties.
(2) “Law enforcement agency” means an organization or unit made up of law enforcement officers as defined in section 2901.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) Upon the disbanding of the canine or equine unit of a law enforcement agency, the agency shall give the law enforcement officer to whom a police dog or horse is assigned the first chance to purchase the animal, for one dollar. An officer who purchases an animal under this section shall assume all responsibility for the animal thereafter.
(C) If a police dog or horse is injured in the line of duty, becomes disabled and is unfit for duty, or grows too old to be fit for duty, the law enforcement officer to whom the animal is assigned may purchase the animal, for one dollar. If an officer chooses not to purchase an animal as authorized by this division or division (B) of this section, the disposition of the animal shall be as otherwise provided by law.
(D) A law enforcement officer who leaves an equine or canine unit of a law enforcement agency while the police dog or horse assigned to the officer is still fit for duty forfeits the right to purchase the animal under this section.
Effective Date: 06-01-1998
