Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
QCS Senior Writer
The Tucumcari Crimestoppers Tuesday took another step towards the purchase of a narcotics and tracking dog to lease for $1 per year to the Tucumcari Police Department.
The Crimestoppers board of directors reviewed and requested amendments to a contract presented to them by Jason Braziel, Tucumcari’s chief of police.
Braziel said the contract he presented was based on a former arrangement from 2006 between Crimestoppers and Tucumcari Police Department.
Crimestoppers member, Dennis Townsend said there clarification was needed on who would be responsible for the dog’s upkeep once its training was complete, including expenses related to injury of the dog, veterinary bills and damages.
Braziel said the contract assigns responsibility to police department for upkeep of the dog once the lease is executed. He said the terms of the lease would be for 10 years at $1 per year, renewable each year.
“These terms would be the best for both entities and encompass the time that the dog would be used by the department,” Braziel said.
Braziel said currently the department has a narcotics dog named Toro whose original handler, former Cpl. Dennis Garcia, has left the department to join the Quay County Sheriff’s Office as chief deputy.
He said Toro has been with the department for eight years and has begun to show signs of arthritis. The dog has also become attached to Garcia and while he could be retrained to operate with a new handler he feels the best course is to retire the dog and let him reside with Garcia.
Braziel said he has added terms to the currently proposed contract that would give the police chief the authority to determine what will happen for the new narcotics dog in the event of injury or retirement. He said Officer Tyler Marney will be the dog’s handler, and once the dog retires, Braziel said, he would like to see it remain with Marney.
Marney said originally the department was looking at purchasing the dog from a facility in Louisiana, and he would have to travel there for training.
However, he told Crimestoppers on Tuesday that they have found a narcotics dog trainer in Albuquerque who has worked with law enforcement agencies in the past and has strong reviews and recommendations.
Marney said the dog’s price is still $8,500. It would be trained in narcotics detection and non-aggressive searching, which will help in tracking suspects who flee and in searches for missing children and adults. He said having he dog trained in the state would also benefit the department if any additional training was needed.
Crimestoppers President Martin Encinias-Angel said Crimestoppers board members are in favor of the contract and will vote to approve the purchase and lease provided the changes to the contract are made and it is approved by the city commission. The contract is on the agenda for Thursday’s Tucumcari City Commission meeting.
Braziel said he had spoken with city commissioners and City Manager Jared Langenegger and their initial response has been in favor of the contract between Crimestoppers and the department.
“This contract is in the best interest of the department and for the public in our continued efforts to combat narcotics trafficking in Quay County,” Braziel said.
