Although for the K-9 unit in Chesterfield Township, community officials can't guarantee the unit's existence.
"The cruise is great for the people of Chesterfield," township Supervisor Michael Lovelock said Wednesday. "But, I just don't want to see people thinking this money is going to go to the K-9 unit until the board makes that decision."
Lovelock and police Chief Bruce Smith have said the Board of Trustees told cruise organizers that there were once the last police dog retires in the near future.
However, North Gratiot Cruise Chairman John Vecchio said Monday the cruise foundation aims to donate proceeds from the Aug. 26 event to the township and Macomb County Sheriff's Office K-9 units.
"Our mission is really to keep the K-9 unit alive in Chesterfield," Vecchio said.
It would take about $50,000 to buy a new dog, train the animal and get a new K-9 vehicle. After that, about $15,000 would be needed annually to maintain the unit, according to Vecchio and township police.
Event organizers acknowledge it would take multiple cruises to raise enough money to support and sustain the township K-9 unit.
"Would it be the difference to put a patrolman on the road or a dog on the road?" Lovelock questioned.
"Dogs are great but it's a costly maneuver to put a dog on the road...Unless they come up with an endowment to pay for that, there's no way the township can afford to do that," he said.
He emphasized that the township board and police chief would ultimately have the final say on the unit, based on finances.
In early 2011, . That leaves longtime police dog Bulzi, a German Shepherd trained in narcotic detection, as the sole remaining canine in the department.
"We're going to use the dog until he can no longer work," Lt. Charles Verschaeve . "We don't know how long that will be."
What do you think township officials should do about the K-9 Unit?
Our police force is down to a skeleton crew as other police departments are in Macomb County, but the questions remains if not a police dog......how about another officer? Thinking about it from a business standpoint, a police dog would be more economically feasible in a long run since that's there monetary stance. I fully commend Vecchio for looking out for our community!!! And what it sounds like is that Lovelock and Smith are looking for an agreement for the proceeds to be dedicated back to K-9 every year in order for this to work. I'm for whatever it takes to keep our police force strong. There have been numerous break in's on our street alone. I know that some are opposed to a millage increase, but maybe that's the route to also take. It would be pennies a day.
But this doesn't sound like Bulzi should retire just yet. A dog can do other things a human officer can't. Like chase a suspect.. think of the different outcome that florida case would of been if Zimmerman had a dog instead of a gun. The dog i'm sure is trained to find suspects from their smell, a human can't smell explosives or guns or drugs. I'd suggest they not only keep Bulzi but get a new dog to replace Chaos and train either one or two dogs to replace Bulzi. Wouldn't anyone think it would be more cost effective to have more than one dog but instead of getting a new vehicle for each one have the same driver? I'd like to see it run more cost effectively but if i were lovelock i'd not only vote to continue the program i'd like to see it expanded where they take the dog Bulzi and have him start training with a new puppy or two. Just my opinion though. I could see more funding sources thru grants for a dog or training of one than i could for just another officer. I'd look into that first before deciding to drop it. Just My opinion though.
I think the Gratiot Cruise is a great resource for the police department, however, if the board is not willing to step up and commit to continuing the dogs regardless of how much money the Cruise provides, then I think the Cruise should consider giving the money to an agency that is willing to find ways to keep its resources, regardless of outside donations! If the money is donated after the dog is gone, where is the donated money going to go and who will be responsible for making sure it is not spent outside of its purpose?
I still say there are other benefits for having a dog over an officer. That they're not comparing apples to apples. A dog has abilities humans don't. Even with glow in the dark cameras to see hot footprints. A dog can smell a humans scent on a dollar bill... it can smell cocaine and meth on dollar bills too. Those type of users usually roll up dollar bills to snort their drugs. They have to spend that money at places and only a dog can smell both the drugs and those who have touched that money. You wouldn't see an officer tracking down a lost child using just an old hairbrush or piece of clothing would you? A dog can smell a lost child's scent even weeks afterwards. Those high tech cameras can't do that either. You could take a dog to those locations Tracy was mentioning about breakins and a dog should be able to track a suspect or at least let someone know where the suspect was or which direction they came from. There's alot a dog can do that a human can't.. that's why i'd argue to keep the program. Not because it wasn't cost effective. They should be looking at ways to improve it and streamline costs if you asked me.
Heres a link to the meeting: http://events.powerstream.net/002/00330/ParentInt/dynasx.asp?spd=225&clp=&contID=ChesterfieldTwpBoardMeeting111121
Are there crimes which either Bulzi or Chaos were instrumental? For all i know they've already solved or helped out in at least one case in which the expense for the whole year was worth it. I'd like to see Bulzi 's record and see his handler make the case to the city council as to why the program should continue.
This way you may come to your own conclusion in realizing the importance of this topic. It sure seems to me that the K-9 was sacrificed for all the wrong reasons as past headlines informed us $146,000.00 is now being spent on renovations in the police departments building and to top it off we offered Michigan State Police free rent as they lost their post in Richmond. You would think that organization would be capable of helping the township out with some sort of costs to keep our dogs. Then again maybe there was hopes in the beginning but we are once again reminded there are no guarantees.