Price of Replacing Slain or Disabled Police Dogs Could Fall on Those Convicted
By: Michael C. Fehn
Updated: March 20, 2013
Indiana lawmakers are backing a proposal that would force anyone convicted of killing or permanently disabling a police dog to pay the cost of replacing the animal.
The State Senate voted on Tuesday to approve a bill similar to one that the House unanimously backed last month.
The bill's supporters say police departments face spending up to 12-thousand dollars to buy and train a dog and that taxpayers shouldn't have to pay to replace one lost because of a criminal act.
Current law makes it a felony, punishable by six months to three years in prison, to kill or badly injure a police dog, however, judges do have the option of whether to order the payment of reimbursement cost.
The State Senate voted on Tuesday to approve a bill similar to one that the House unanimously backed last month.
The bill's supporters say police departments face spending up to 12-thousand dollars to buy and train a dog and that taxpayers shouldn't have to pay to replace one lost because of a criminal act.
Current law makes it a felony, punishable by six months to three years in prison, to kill or badly injure a police dog, however, judges do have the option of whether to order the payment of reimbursement cost.
