Proposed legislation in Kansas fights for more justice for K-9 officers injured or killed on the job

OLATHE, Kan. (KCTV) – Proposed legislation in Kansas aims to create stiffer punishments for people who injure or kill K9 officers. It’s called Bane’s Law and is named after a Sedgwick County K9 killed in the line of duty in November of 2023.

KCTV met up with K9 Units of the Olathe and Kansas City, KS Police Department and both of them have noticed when a police dog is called to a scene it usually stops things from escalating to the point of someone being killed because suspects surrender more often. But with all the service comes a risk to the K9s and they say, more protection is needed under the law.

First, meet Kodi of the Olathe Police Department. For two years he’s served with Officer Kyle Clausius. “The dogs are working with us day in and day out and they go home with us to be a part of our family life as well,” Officer Clausius said. 

Thanks to Kodi and the other K-9s on the force in Olathe, Clausius believes the city is much safer when they’re on the job because they can respond in ways human officers can’t.  

“If a violent subject who’s on the run hiding in a business or residence,” Officer Clausius explained, “that’s when the critical patrol side of that dog in detecting that bad guy for officer safety tells us where he’s at before an officer is in harm’s way. They are really the tip of the spear for the search.” 

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Right now in the state of Kansas, anyone who harms or kills a police dog faces 30 days to a year in prison with a maximum fine of $5,000. Bane’s law would triple the prison time to a 90-day minimum sentence to prison and increase the fine to at least $10,000. 

Because of all K9s do to protect people, KCK Police Officer Jeff Gardner feels they deserve better justice. 

“Even when an officer goes before anyone else to try and help somebody those dogs will do the same thing for us,” Gardner said. “To go around that corner or go in that room first and risk their lives at the drop of a hat by just asking them to.”  

Bane’s Law is named after a K9 from Wichita who was strangled while trying to capture a suspect. If passed it would also allow police to seek restitution to replace any police dog injured or killed so the department doesn’t face setbacks in services they provide from a vital part of their department.  

“To get a K9 and starting the process of getting it, training it, getting the handler certified, getting the K9 certified you’re talking about $15,000,” Capt. Joshua Messick of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department told KCTV. “That’s a lot of money and getting the equipment to go along with it.”

Both Kansas and Missouri saw one police dog die in the line of duty in 2023. Recently, the Missouri House of Representatives also showed approval for a bill that would increase the maximum prison time from four to seven years for anyone guilty of injuring or killing police dogs or horses.

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