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PROPOSED ORDINANCE
WHEREAS Cook County law enforcement canines are vital to the public safety of Cook County residents; Whereas: Cook County law enforcement canines perform important and essential duties that include, but not limited to: conducting building searches, searching and finding suspects and offenders, locating missing persons, performing article and evidence searches, detecting drugs and explosives, and conducting public service demonstrations;
WHEREAS Due to the abilities of well-trained law enforcement canines and their significant value to comprehensive public safety practices, Cook County Government utilizes law enforcement canines within the Cook County Sherriff's Police Department, the Cook County Sherriff's Court Services Department, and the Cook County Sherriff's Department of Corrections.
WHEREAS Law enforcement canines that perform official public safety duties for Cook County are required to be certified to perform such duties and must be documented as receiving on-going professional training as well as maintain exceptional physical and mental health.
WHEREAS Even though law enforcement canines are required to maintain exceptional levels of health, productivity and performance, as law enforcement canines become older their ability to perform their duties declines and become more difficult;
WHEREAS Due to the inevitable decline of health, productivity, and performance that law enforcement canines experience because of age it is in the best interest of the Cook County law enforcement units that utilize canines to implement a mandatory retirement age for active-duty canines.
WHEREAS It is also in the best interest of the Cook County law enforcement units that utilize canines to adopt standardized best practices to ensure that its canines are well trained and in exceptional health.
Now, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the Cook County Board of Commissioners, that Chapter 46, Law Enforcement, Article I., Section 4...
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