Aldermen indicated their willingness to support a police plan to start a canine patrol unit, if limits are placed on use of the dog and some funding comes from private sources.
Chief James Roche said the department has received pledges totaling $8,000 so far from business and civic groups interested in sponsoring a canine program.
“I don’t think we’ll have any trouble securing the bulk of the funding,” Roche said. “The amount of interest out there is amazing.”
In ranking spending priorities in the coming fiscal year, the City Council’s Public Safety Committee this week ranked the police dog program near the top along with new radios for some squad cars, a copy machine and minor capital costs.
Roche said the department could use a dog for discovering drugs and other contraband, searching vacant buildings and chasing down suspects. A canine patrol could also serve in a public relations function, he said.
The department agreed to develop program guidelines.
The earliest a canine patrol could be part of the department is May 1 when the 1994 fiscal budget begins.