REPORT TITLE:
Public Safety; Canine Corps


DESCRIPTION:
Requires the establishment of a canine corps in the Department of
Public Safety.  (CD1)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        223
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           S.D. 2
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 1999                                H.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAII                                            C.D. 1
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO A CANINE CORPS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the availability of
 
 2 illegal drugs in state correctional facilities continues to be a
 
 3 problem for prison administrators.  In the Maui correctional
 
 4 facility alone, fifty-six of its four hundred inmates tested
 
 5 positive for methamphetamine (ice).  Inmate drug use is
 
 6 detrimental not only to effective prison administration, but also
 
 7 to the addicted inmate who is doomed to recidivism.
 
 8      A possible solution to this problem involves the use of
 
 9 canine units by corrections authorities.  Dogs can be effectively
 
10 trained to control, if not eliminate, illegal drugs in prisons.
 
11 Dogs can be utilized in the screening of supplies, vehicles,
 
12 prisoners, and prison personnel entering or exiting a prison.
 
13 Dogs can also be used to secure a prison's perimeter and locate
 
14 trespassers on prison property.
 
15      The estimated cost of a trained canine is between $3,000 to
 
16 $5,000.  The preferred breeds of dog in this line of duty are the
 
17 German Shepherd and the Belgian Malinois.  The dogs have an
 
18 average working life of approximately eight years.  The dogs must
 
19 also be trained and certified over an eight to twelve week period
 
20 and recertified annually.
 

 
Page 2                                                     223
                                     S.B. NO.           S.D. 2
                                                        H.D. 1
                                                        C.D. 1

 
 1      The purpose of this Act is to establish a canine corps in
 
 2 the department of public safety to assist in the administration
 
 3 of correctional facilities.  The canine corps will be most
 
 4 appropriately placed in the law enforcement division of the
 
 5 Department of Public Safety.
 
 6      SECTION 2.  Chapter 353C, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is
 
 7 amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated
 
 8 and to read as follows:
 
 9      "�353C-     Canine corps.  The director shall establish a
 
10 canine corps to implement the department's policies, programs,
 
11 and objectives.  The director, pursuant to rules adopted under
 
12 chapter 91, shall develop criteria and policies to select, train,
 
13 and maintain the canine corps.  The director shall also select,
 
14 train, and assign personnel to handle the canine corps.  Units of
 
15 the canine corps shall be assigned to correctional facilities and
 
16 other duties as determined by the director; provided that the
 
17 animals in the corps need not be used solely for corrections-
 
18 related purposes."
 
19      SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
20      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.