Council backs department policy to add K‑9 handler stipends pending commissioners' approval

Adams County council members voted to support a policy proposal that would convert K‑9 officers’ scheduled time off into a compensation stipend for maintaining their police dogs, with final authority and budget placement to be handled by the county commissioners.

The change would apply to two patrol K‑9 teams and one school resource officer (SRO) K‑9, and the sheriff’s office said it expects the stipend to be added as a separate line in the salary ordinance. “The two patrol dogs, they work half the days of the year, so they will be compensated while they're working to maintain their dog,” Sheriff Dan said during the presentation.

Why it matters: The sheriff's office framed the change as both legally required and administratively simpler than continuing to schedule and cancel K‑9 days off. Sheriff Dan told the council the county must compensate handlers under federal and state law and said the stipend model reduces scheduling disruptions and overtime exposure when handlers’ scheduled days are canceled.

Details and debate: The sheriff explained his office’s estimate for the proposed stipend package and how it would be budgeted. He said the county would add the stipend to the salary ordinance so the payments flow through payroll and would stop if an officer leaving K‑9 duties or a dog retires. He described the package as replacing the existing time‑off approach and said staff had calculated the stipend using time‑and‑a‑half wage rates.

Specific figures discussed in the meeting: the sheriff reported per‑dog and program totals during his presentation, saying the patrol‑dog stipend amounts and a higher SRO dog amount would together come to “right around $20,000” annually for the positions discussed. He also told the council the figures were calculated using time‑and‑a‑half pay rates.

Next steps and limitations: Council members approved a motion indicating their support for the department policy, with one council member saying the council would defer to the commissioners on departmental operations and any funding beyond current budget capacity. The sheriff said he will present the ordinance change next month; if the stipend exceeds available budget, he will return to the commissioners for additional appropriation.

Quotes: "If that officer is no longer a K‑9, the dog retires or whatever, then we can just stop that stipend being paid into his payroll," Sheriff Dan said. "This year is not budgeted for that. So I'm not asking for an additional now. I'll see how the year goes."

Ending: The council approved the council motion supporting the policy; the item will be added to the county salary ordinance and brought before the Board of Commissioners for final approval and any needed appropriation.