For City Council Meeting November 12, 2024
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
FROM: G. Michael Milhiser, Interim City Manager
AUTHOR: Mark P. Kling, Chief of Police
Title
Request City Council to (1) Approve the Sale of a Police Service Dog for the Amount of $1.00 to Officer Erik Valtierra; (2) Authorize the Interim City Manager or his Designee to Execute all Documents.
Body
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council (1) authorize the sale of a police service dog for the amount of $1.00 to Officer Erik Valtierra; (2) Authorize the Interim City Manager or his designee to execute all documents.
BACKGROUND
Police service dog "Yuri" has been in active service since March of 2017. Yuri is an 11-year-old Belgian Malinois and has reached the normal age of retirement from police service. Yuri has also recently experienced medical issues that have complicated her law enforcement career. Yuri has reached the end of an honorable police service career and her handler, Officer Erik Valtierra, has been reassigned to Patrol.
Yuri was first assigned to Officer Valtierra in March of 2017. The normal duties and responsibilities of our canine officers require the officer to keep their police service dogs at their residence during off-duty time. Police service dogs are fed, groomed, and maintained at the handler's residence, which is an important part of the required functions of our canine team. As a result, a strong bond between the handler and police service dog develops. Officer Valtierra has expressed his desire to purchase Yuri from the department. Officer Valtierra has agreed to provide a comfortable, humane and caring environment for the remainder of Yuri's life. Officer Valtierra has agreed to purchase Yuri for the amount of one dollar ($1.00) and sign a "Release of Police Service Dog" agreement authored by the City Attorney's Office. The sale of police service dogs to their handler is common and the department's past practice.
Pursuant to Munici...
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