Gilford K9 serves area communities... free of charge!
Some stories never seem to go away- and never stop causing the fur on my neck to stand-up, so to speak. The Gilford K9 is one such topic. After losing the battle against the town's purchase and deployment of the police dog, my prediction of ongoing and escalating costs has come true. The dog, training, food, veterinary care and the cost of a dedicated cruiser certainly must cost the Gilford taxpayers a pretty penny. My question was, and still is- Does Gilford really need such a law enforcement tool? Do we have enough of a need to justify the program? Can we keep him busy? Well, no, but if we serve an area larger than Gilford, he stays busy enough...
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Stefanie Phillips reports in this week's Gilford Steamer (online subscription required) that
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Stefanie Phillips reports in this week's Gilford Steamer (online subscription required) that
The loss of the Laconia Police Department's canine, Yogi, in July meant more responsibility was placed on the only canine left in Belknap County. That canine is Agbar, the Gilford Police Department's three-year-old Czech-born German Shepherd.
Gilford's K9 officer
and Agbar are now first on the response list in towns where they used to be back-up and were called out twice in one week recently, one call being in Laconia.
Both the Laconia and Gilford canine units were called in the past to respond to several area towns' calls including Belmont, Alton, Tilton, Northfield, Loudon and Meredith. The first responder called depended upon the distance and location of the call. When asked about the added workload, Parent [K9 officer] said the pair have been managing just fine and are on call all the time. Parent's shifts re scheduled at night when most of the calls are made. "We are designed to be here when stuff happens," Parent said.
The Citizen also carried a similar piece about the Gilford police dog. From the August 23rd story, in addition to reporting on the towns which Gilford's K9 will serve, the article tells us this:
While Parent's calls will extend to other departments in Belknap County, particularly Laconia, the Gilford Police Department does not seek compensation for these service calls. Parent did note that the additional calls provide Agbar with valuable on-duty experience. Responding to assist other departments are considered good-faith efforts to help build relations between departments. "It's just law enforcement helping law enforcement," added Parent.
Since when do I, as a Gilford taxpayer, have to provide services in other towns... for free?!!!! I don't care if it "good training." I don't want to pay for it. If there is such a need in the area, then let it be met at the county level. This is a bunch of BS! I really wish I knew someone on the budget committee or somewhere else that could do something about this. While I'm fond of many people in other towns in the area, I don't feel I am obligated to provide them with police dog services.
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This is just another one of those "little things" that add up to excessive taxation and governmental budgets in this town. If people would focus on the this type of spending and waste as much as they did to their assessments, perhaps those doing the spending would be forced to tighten their belts- thus rendering assessments less important- as taxes might stabilize or even lessen.
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Oh, and by the way- I don't care about "building relations between departments. Sorry. Go have a beer someplace after you punch off the clock if you want "relations."
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This is just another one of those "little things" that add up to excessive taxation and governmental budgets in this town. If people would focus on the this type of spending and waste as much as they did to their assessments, perhaps those doing the spending would be forced to tighten their belts- thus rendering assessments less important- as taxes might stabilize or even lessen.
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Oh, and by the way- I don't care about "building relations between departments. Sorry. Go have a beer someplace after you punch off the clock if you want "relations."
Comments
Yup just another expenditure we do not need. Stop the bleeding Gilford !
Posted by: Mike | September 2, 2006 01:50 PM
My feelings about our (Gilford) K-9 unit going to other communities to assist while the Officer & dog are ON Duty is not something to be charged for as we all need those Mutual Aid Benefits each dept. renders to the other in emergencies.
However, I believe the police dept. should be required to keep an accurate record of all the "Off Duty - Call Out" times and costs of the K-9 unit so that we can find out how much money is being spent for out-of-town deployment of our K-9 Team. A "call out" to search for a lost person, escapee, dangerous felony suspect, etc probably should not be discouraged. A "call out" to sniff for drugs on a detained motor vehicle in some other town may be cause for denial or fees charged.
It is my hope and expectations that the police administration will not allow the Over Time Account to get "blown out of the water" by any "extra duty K-9 services" to neighboring communities.
I believe the Police Dept. has a history of returning some "unused" funds to the town coffers each year and I do not expect that to change with the use of our K-9 Team.
Posted by: James Martel | September 10, 2006 08:42 PM
Wondering how you feel about Agbar and his national attention as a hero?
Falling 2 stories after tracking a person who robbed a woman at knife point?
Posted by: Cathe | October 16, 2006 10:46 AM