Bring Buck Back! Public Safety Committee Says The K9 Should Return To Active Duty

Should Buck, the New London Police Department K9 whose arthritis forced him into early retirement, return to the force? New London City Council's Public Safety Committee says yes.

Committee members held a press conference at Goldy's Restaurant last night to announce their plans to ask New London Mayor Daryl Finizio to bring K9 Buck back into service with the Police Department. 

Buck has been retired from active duty since June 20 because of the dog's arthritis and the expense of the medication needed to treat it. That reduced the number of K-9s on patrol in New London to just one, and there has been much back and forth on the subject ever since. 

The City Council passed an ordinance setting the minimum number of K-9 units in the Police Department at four. Mayor Finizio vetoed that ordinance but the Council overrode his veto, citing public safety concerns. 

"The New London Police Department has been in a state of turmoil with officers leaving at an alarming rate and a net loss of 40 percent of the officers. The cost to taxpayers of New London for the 40 plus officers that have left since June 2009 is at least $4 million in basic training costs," said City Councilwoman Marie Fries-McSparran. "A fully staffed K9 unit provides an immeasurable benefit to the New London Police Department especially with the current low manning for the patrol division." 

Fries-McSparran said she had been in touch with the veterinarian who normally treats Buck and the vet believes the K-9 is fit for duty.  

"It is in my professional opinion that if officer Buck is kept on arthritis meds and joint supplementation, he should be able to perform normal activity for any dog his age, including police work," Veterinarian Rakesh Agrawal wrote in a letter responding to inquiries from Fries-McSparran. 

The vet said that, given the dog is seven years old and has a life expectancy of 12 to 14 years, Buck should be good for three to five more years of active service. The one caveat is that Buck will require arthritis and joint medication, the cost of which is more than $800 a year. 

However, Fries-McSparran said, "a number of fundraisers were held, one right here at Goldy's, and enough money was donated from people across the city and the state to cover the costs of the medication necessary for Buck." 

To date, about $3,000 has been raised to pay for Buck's medication, she said. Public Safety Committee Chair John Maynard added that the cost of returning Buck to active duty is considerably less than the cost of acquiring and training and new K9 unit. Buck is currently living with his New London Police Department handler. 

Former City Councilor Michael Buscetto has also offered to buy a new K9 for the department to further increase its ranks. At the moment, K9 Jasper is the only dog on patrol but Bessie the bloodhound is now back with a new handler and, if Buck can return to duty, then the acquisition of one more K9 would bring the department up to the number required by the new city ordinance. 

Although the Public Safety Committee did not take a formal vote on the issue, Committee members Fries-McSparran and Maynard said they planned to send the request via email to New London Mayor Daryl Finizio immediately following the press conference.