Josh Goodman is a former staff writer for GOVERNING..
E-mail: mailbox@governing.comTwitter: @governing
To the Dogs
Sure, state and local governments are slashing spending, announcing hiring freezes and imposing travel bans. But the dire state of municipal budgets didn't really hit home until I read this article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
Las Vegas city marshals soon will say goodbye to some of their best friends: the city's highly trained police dogs.
The city's K-9 program, which started with one dog in 1998, is being eliminated to save money and was being scrutinized even before the city started looking for ways to trim expenses last year.
"We realized that canines are a tool, and it was a nice thing to have. But not an absolute," said Karen Coyne, director of the city's Detention and Enforcement Department.
"It's not a popular decision, but it's the best end. These animals are going to be transferred to other law enforcement agencies and continue to work as police animals."
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Written and compiled by staff writers and editors, GOVERNING View is an on-the-ground, and sometimes behind-the-scenes, look at the topics we're covering in print and online. From notes on what's up in statehouses, county courthouses and city halls, to encounters with people, places and things, GOVERNING View is a window into the side of state and local government you don't always see.
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