Council approves K9 purchase and funding plan, and backs new in-car laptops for officers

The Manchester City Council voted to approve a contract to acquire a new police K9 and to begin purchase of laptops and docking stations to replace aging shared in-car tablets.

Police Chief said the final invoice for the K9 program is $13,000 and that the state will pay $7,500 up front for certification. "It's a three-year warranty on the dog," the chief said, describing the K9 as a Labrador for single-purpose tracking and narcotics work; the department plans to retire the current dog once the new animal is certified. The department reported roughly $12,000 currently in the K9 fund and expects additional donations to cover remaining expenses.

The chief also described persistent performance problems with shared tablets in patrol vehicles and aging office desktops. He proposed issuing 10 laptops (one per officer), with docking stations, to prevent memory and login delays that can hinder response. The vendor offered a plan that allows an initial payment of about $15,435 to start the project with the remainder payable after July 1. Council members discussed funding options, including franchise-fee allocations and budget timing, and approved moving forward with the procurement plan and funding schedule proposed by staff.

Councilors asked about certification and maintenance: the chief said the K9 must be certified and then annually recertified, and the department will continue fundraising for ongoing costs including vet care, food and training.