Council seeks more information on police K-9

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By Elio Gugliotti, Editor

PROSPECT — The Town Council has raised issues with a plan for a K-9 for the Prospect Police Department — namely a lack of information about the plan and the costs associated with it.

Prospect police Officer Tory Marsden is a retired state trooper and was a certified K-9 officer and instructor for the state police, Administrative Lt. Nelson Abarzua said. Marsden is in training at the Connecticut State Police K-9 academy with a German Shepard he bought, according to officials, and is expected to complete the training in about three weeks.

Mayor Robert Chatfield and Abarzua decided to move forward with a K-9 officer for the police department — a decision that has been the subject of recent debate.

Council members have said they were surprised and caught off guard to learn recently about the police K-9.

During a May 5 meeting, council member Megan Patchkofsky said the council supports emergency services in town, but wasn’t told about the K-9. She added there’s nothing earmarked in the budget for the K-9 program, and felt the town shouldn’t move forward until the council knows the cost and liability of the police K-9.

In a subsequent interview, Chatfield said it’s his understanding that he and Abarzua are in charge of the police department.

“I thought it was going to be a good asset for the town,” Chatfield said about the K-9.

There are no funds in the proposed budget for the next fiscal year specifically designated for the K-9. Chatfield said the plan is to pay for the K-9 program from revenue the town gets for private duty police work.

Council member Theresa Graveline said the council needs details on how much a K-9 program will cost.

Abarzua said the town is not paying for the training but there would be costs related to the program. He said a K-9 officer in town would receive an additional hour of pay a day to care for the dog, which would receive the same liability insurance coverage as an officer. He said there are also expenses for veterinary insurance for the dog.

Abarzua said Marsden, who lives about 30 minutes away from town, is using an animal control vehicle now.

The exact cost of the program was unclear last week.

Abarzua said the K-9 will be trained as a patrol dog, in tracking, and eventually in narcotics detection. He felt with the town’s aging population a K-9 is needed in case the town sees an increase in people with medical issues, like dementia, who could potentially go missing.

The town turns to state police first if a K-9 is needed, Abarzua said. A large number of troopers are expected to retire in the near future, he said, which could make it difficult to get a K-9 in town quickly. He said town officers can also call nearby police departments for help, but they must contact local police chiefs before a municipal K-9 officer can respond.

Council member Patricia Geary felt if the town’s K-9 officer lives 30 minutes away, it would defeat the purpose of having one. She said it would be more prudent to call Naugatuck or Waterbury police for assistance.

“I don’t believe there is a need for a dog in Prospect,” she said.

The council voted 6-3 to table discussion on the K-9 until members can get a detailed presentation on the costs.

In a subsequent interview, Chairman Jeffrey Slapikas said the mayor has the authority to approve a K-9 officer, but the council needs all the information on how much it will cost and where the money is coming from to budget for the program. Once the council gets that information, he said he’s 100% behind the plan.

“I think the K-9 is an asset,” he said.