The Haines Borough Assembly unanimously rejected a proposal Tuesday to seek grants to purchase a police dog. The assembly also rejected, 4-2, having staff research whether a dog would be effective for curbing drug use and importation.
The borough’s Public Safety Commission in April recommended the assembly look into purchasing a drug-sniffing dog after police chief Heath Scott, two officers and community members lobbied commission members. Scott said a drug-sniffing dog is a “vital need” in the police department.
Assembly member Tresham Gregg made a motion to deny the proposal, which was supported by the rest of the assembly. Assembly member Stephanie Scott questioned how effective a police dog would be in a small community. She made a motion to direct staff to research whether or not a dog would make a difference in a town the size of Haines.
“I would totally support the research, but not going for grants,” Scott said. “That’s part of the research, lining up where the money is going to come from.”
The majority of the assembly opposed such research. Assembly member Brenda Josephson said it would be a hard sell to the community and she’d like to see staff spend time on other issues. Assembly members Tom Morphet and Heather Lende cited concerns about the cost.
“We’re funding our police department from the fund balance for the second year in a row,” Lende said. “To even look into more expenses, until we figure out how to maintain the police department we have at the moment, seems irresponsible.”
Gregg said residents he’s spoken with oppose the idea. He said dogs were “essentially for marijuana sniffing and now that’s not necessarily an issue.”
Assembly member Sean Maidy said although he dislikes the idea of purchasing a police dog, he’s open to finding out more information. “This is not a point where our opinions should weigh in,” Maidy said. “This is a point where we say, ‘Should we do the research to see whether or not this tool will be useful in this community?’ Whether or not I think it will or not, I’m not going to know unless we find out.”
Borough manager Debra Schnabel responded to Lende who said she disliked the idea of seeing a drug dog working at facilities across town. “I think that I can appreciate not wanting to see a dog walking around town,” Schnabel said. “We also don’t want to see people overdosing around town either.”
Scott’s motion to compile research failed 2-4, with Scott and Maidy in support.
Krista Kielsmeier, executive assistant to the borough manager, told the assembly she’d like to see a better process for knowing what kind of oversight the assembly has over grant applications versus when department heads are free to pursue funding on their own.
“It’s frustrating for me when I’m not given the chance to try or when I get a grant and it’s turned down,” Kielsmeier said.
Morphet said he wants the borough manager to include a list of potential grants being considered the assembly can review during assembly meetings. “I think we may need to bring the assembly in on those decisions. Otherwise there are policy decisions, I think, that are being made by staff, that should be made at this table,” Morphet said.
Schnabel said she hoped the assembly recognized Morphet’s suggestion was what she did with the canine grant proposal. “We brought forward the idea of applying for a canine, because we knew it was a policy decision,” Schnabel said. “We did exactly what you just chastised us for not doing, so I take a little bit of offense to that.”