New K9 Certification Bill Could Save State Thousands
By: KARK 4 News, Josh Berry
Updated: February 11, 2013
If passed a bill at the State Capitol could change how K9 officers in Arkansas are certified maybe saving the state thousands.
As it stands now facilities like Little Rock K9 Academy can train the dogs and human officers together but agencies have to pay an additional fee to pay an out of state organization to be officially certified.
If House Bill 1237, which passed a house sub-committee Friday, passes the senate, it could save the state at least $20,000 a year in fees payed for K9 officers.
Little Rock K9 Academy owner, Tony Smith helped draft the bill and has spear-headed the effort for change.
"We expect it to flow pretty quickly through the senate and to the governors desk," he said. "Once it clears the Governors desk and obtains his signature it should become law July 1 this year."
Smith has worked with county, city and state agencies developing standards and requirements for certification. The new state certifications would be free to the agencies once their paired K9 officers have been trained.
As it stands now facilities like Little Rock K9 Academy can train the dogs and human officers together but agencies have to pay an additional fee to pay an out of state organization to be officially certified.
If House Bill 1237, which passed a house sub-committee Friday, passes the senate, it could save the state at least $20,000 a year in fees payed for K9 officers.
Little Rock K9 Academy owner, Tony Smith helped draft the bill and has spear-headed the effort for change.
"We expect it to flow pretty quickly through the senate and to the governors desk," he said. "Once it clears the Governors desk and obtains his signature it should become law July 1 this year."
Smith has worked with county, city and state agencies developing standards and requirements for certification. The new state certifications would be free to the agencies once their paired K9 officers have been trained.
