SUNBURY – Sunbury mayor David Persing is seeking to reinstate a K-9 program that was suspended three months ago due to budget costs. In April, Persing said the city did not have the money to keep the police dog as part of the program.
Mayor Persing told council he believes the dog could be useful to the department and the community. Councilman Jim Eister disagreed, saying the program will cost Sunbury more money.
Eister said he wants to review a contract with Officer Scott Hause, the dog’s handler. Persing said there is no official contract and is worth the investment, “There was never a contract, there is responsibilities you have being a handler and there is just certain ways things have to be and that should have been in a contract. The contract is just, more or less, what we expect out of him and he will know what he is expected to do. There is a lot of investment, the dog was around $7,000 when they bought it, he’s only like 4 years old, if the dog was 12 or 14 years old and ready for retirement, I probably would retire the program.”
Council will vote on whether or not to reinstate the K-9 program July 11. At that same meeting, Persing said he would present a new police chief.
