Clare City approves K-9 Police program

The Clare Police Department has a new K-9 Program to augment the department with the addition of new canine officer “Swiper.”

The City Commission approved the program at the meeting Monday evening. Swiper was to be sworn in as a Clare Police Officer Wednesday. The program will be evaluated annually.

The $50,000 program comes to the city for nearly no cost, thanks to Officer Brian Gregory, also the owner of Northern Michigan K-9 for the past ten years and a trainer/handler for the past 25 years.

The dog, a six-year-old Belgian Malinois, was originally trained by Gregory through his K-9 academy and has been an officer with Antrim County for the past three years. When they eliminated their program, the dog was returned to Gregory, who offered to sell the animal to the city for $1, provided he could buy Swiper back, should the program ever be terminated. To be covered under the City’s liability, the dog must be owned by the Clare Police Department.

Gregory said the Belgian Malinois breed originated as a cross between a German Shepherd and Great Dane and has been bred into a smaller, highly intelligent animal. He estimated that the dog could perform as an officer “until he is 10 or 11 years old.”

Gregory made the K-9 Program proposal to the Commission and gave a demonstration of Swiper’s talents in a parking lot drug search. In his proposal, he said, “Specialty trained K9s are rapidly becoming popular in smaller departments across the country. Their ability to assist with officer safety, apprehension of fleeing suspects, evidence recovery, missing person searches and the detection of illegal narcotics has made police departments much more efficient.” He continued, “The dog’s ability to go from apprehending a suspect to socializing with our kids in the classroom is an excellent public relation tool for the city.”

The costs to the city will be “minimal,” Chief Dwayne Miedzianowski said, because the training for dog and handler is already complete, a current vehicle is available with donated equipment for transporting the dog, food has been donated by Johnston’s Elevator for the service life of the dog and regular veterinary costs have also been donated by Clare Animal Hospital. “This is a huge opportunity for the City. Brian has trained dogs for departments all over the country, including federal agencies.”

The required 16 hours of additional training monthly will be incorporated into Gregory’s regular hours.

Isabella County Sheriff Leo Mioduszewski supported the concept in a letter to the Commission. “I strongly believe a K-9 program will be beneficial for the citizen of Clare, as well as all law enforcement agencies in Clare and Isabella Counties,” he wrote.

In another matter, Commissioners set aside, for the third time in as many months, the purchase of a new tractor, primarily for use in snowplowing the City’s 20 miles of sidewalks and right of way mowing.

Purchase of a new Holder machine, the same type as in use now by the City, would cost approximately $78,000 and be paid for over a five-year period.

Last month the Commission set aside the matter after bids were received on other types of machines, because there was a question about whether the equipment would be able to handle the tasks.

Bids received September 29 included two from Capital Equipment of Clare, one for a Kubota B2920 for $26,265.00 and one for an orchard tractor, a Kubota 8540 for $46,700. Bader and Sons Company submitted a bid for a John Deere 2720 at $27,357.00 and Tilmann Hardware of Beal City submitted a bid for a New Holland Boomer 1030 for $25,525.

City Manager Ken Hibl and Bob Bonham, Superintendent of the Department of public Works, both continued to recommend the purchase of a new Holder.

Hibl explained his recommendation, writing, “The Holder is specifically designed and built from the ground up strictly to accomplish municipal operations…the commercial/farm tractors are not. The Holder is tried and proven in the municipal role…our DPW Director, who has 36 years of hands-on municipal experience, does not believe that the commercial tractors will perform to the standards that we have specified and neither do I.”

Commissioner John Koch said he had researched the matter on-line and found some other possibilities including other manufacturers of commercial equipment, lease options, remanufactured equipment and used vehicles. “Why weren’t these other options brought to the Commission?” he asked.

Hibl said they did look at other manufacturers with one more expensive and the other a “lighter weight.”

John Koch said, “We are not in dire straits yet. We should at least look at others, put this out for bids.”

Commissioner Tom Koch said, “I’m disappointed we’re discussing this again. I’m disappointed with the City management saying ‘it’s either the new Holder or use the old one until it breaks and not plow the sidewalks.’”

Hibl said he did not intend to give the impression that the City would not plow sidewalks. “We are committed to doing that,” he said.

Commissioner Bill Horwood said, “We should consider how well the piece of equipment can do the job, the way it should be done.”

Commissioner John Koch said he would like to see more information before making a decision and made a motion, approved unanimously, that the matter be tabled again.

Bonham said he would “look into” the other options.

Other business at the City meeting included:

*A second reading and adoption of the City’s Road Naming and House Numbering Ordinance.

*Approval of the Green Communities Challenge Resolution, required for grant application to the Michigan Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program. The City plans to apply for a small grant, possibly for a windmill generator.

*Set aside the motion to support the development of U.S. BR-20 Bicycle Route until the Parks and Recreation Board can look at the proposal.

*Approved the payment of $90,815.00 in bills.

*Heard the Main Street Manager’s Report and City Manager’s Report.