Pooch Bound For City Police Department

BROOKSVILLE - A four-legged drug detector will soon join the Brooksville Police Department.

The city council voted 4 to 1 late Monday to resurrect the city's K-9 program.

The program at first will feature one officer to handle one dog trained solely to sniff out drugs during traffic stops and warrant searches, Police Chief George Turner told the council.

Council members agreed with Turner that the program is a worthwhile investment that would pay for itself and help reduce drug-related crime in the city.

"I think it will be an asset to the department," Council member Joe Bernardini said.

Turner estimates startup costs of about $7,000, significantly less than usual, he said. The department has been offered a two-year-old Malinois, a member of the shepherd family frequently used as police dogs, for no charge from a firm that specializes in K-9 dogs.

The Orange County Sheriff's Office will come to Brooksville next week to check out the dog and interview two officers who have expressed interest in becoming the first handler. The training would take four weeks, Turner said.

The program will pay for its estimated $2,000 annual cost with cash and property forfeited in drug cases, Turner said.

Council member Richard Lewis dissented. Lewis said he thought the city might be duplicating services that could be provided by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.

The city currently has an agreement with the sheriff to provide one of its three dogs when possible. That doesn't mean the sheriff's dog is on call for the city, Turner said.

"I don't believe it's a duplication of services at all," Turner said. "We'll be able to utilize our dog on many occasions that we could not utilize the sheriff's office dog. If his dog's tied up and something's going on, we're not getting it."

Mayor David Pugh reminded Turner about the city's previous foray into canine crime fighting several years ago when the department's handler left for the sheriff's office - and the dog went with him.

"The dog will be the property of the Brooksville Police Department," Turner replied.