City Council
Report
City Council Meeting: September 10, 2024
Agenda Item: 5.C
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To: Mayor and City Council
From: Ramon Batista, Police Chief, Police Department
Subject: Approval of Police Canine Retirement
Recommended Action
Staff recommends that the City Council:
1. Authorize the retirement of police service dog, Ford.
2. Authorize Ford be sold to Santa Monica Police Officer Kevin Bacarella for the sum of one dollar.
3. Adopt a finding of no possibility of significant effect pursuant to Section 15061 (b) (3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the California Environmental Quality Action (CEQA) Guidelines.
Summary
As part of a comprehensive approach to public safety, the Santa Monica Police Department maintains three canine apprehension units with a trained police canine and their officer handlers. After 7 years of service, Ford, a 9-year-old Belgian Malinois, is being retired. Staff recommends that the Council approve the sale of Ford to his handler for the nominal sum of one dollar.
Discussion
During the past seven years, police service dog Ford has been assigned to Officer Kevin Bacarella. During Ford's length of service, he has been involved in numerous felony arrests and apprehensions and has received commendations for his capabilities.
Police service dog Ford will retire from the Canine Program after over seven years of service. Ford began suffering from medical issues in April of 2023, which have limited 2 of 2
his service time and resulted in continued medical treatment. Due to this, it would be unsafe to expect Ford to continue working as an active service dog necessitating his retirement from active service in the Canine Program. It has been Department practice, since the inception of the Canine Program, to transfer ownership of the canines that have reached the end of their active service life to their handlers for a nominal sum.
This allows the handler, their family, and the police dog who has become a member of their family, to continue their journey together. Other law enforcement agencies that use canines have the same practice. This practice is in the best interests of the animal and removes the possibility of any potential liability to the City. Council has approved such transfers in the past when service dogs have reached an age or developed medical conditions which prevent their continued service.
Environmental Review
The retirement and approval of sale of Ford is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) (Common Sense Exemption) of the CEQA Guidelines, which states that CEQA does not apply, “where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment.
Financial Impacts and Budget Actions
Staff seeks authority to approve the sale of canine Ford to his handler, Kevin Bacarella, for the nominal sum of one dollar. Payment from the sale will be deposited to account 01180001.415482.
Prepared By: Jose Arroyo, Senior Administrative Analyst Approved Forwarded to Council