HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8274 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 8274
September 5, 2000
r-nrrp�, To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
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SUBJECT: Ballistic Vests for Canines
Recently, the suggestion was made by Councilmember Silcox that the Police Department evaluate the
purchase of ballistic vests for police dogs. During the last few years the Police Department K-9 Unit has
gathered information on protective equipment for police service dogs. The results are summarized below.
As background, the Fort Worth Police Service Dog program was started in 1960. We currently have six dogs
in the K-9 unit and two dogs working in the Narcotics Unit. When the K-9 unit is called, the dog handler
enters the area with the dog on a leash to assess the situation. Based on the animal's reaction, the officer will
call various commands to the potential suspect. If no one responds, the suspect is warned that the dog will be
turned loose. The dog is then freed to search the premises.
Despite the protection that ballistic vests may offer in high-risk situations, several concerns exist. Most
significant is the concern about the weight and heat of the ballistic vests. Two veterinarians were interviewed
including an Air Force retiree and the current medical provider for the Fort Worth police service dogs. Both
expressed concerns of heat fatigue, heat stroke and diminished speed and agility of the dog. In addition,
publications on animal ballistic vests indicate that although bullets cannot penetrate the vests, the blunt
trauma caused by the impact of the bullet was damaging and ultimately fatal to the animals tested. Positive
results from manufacturer tests were not indicative of operations in heat conditions or of the injuries related to
blunt trauma.
Throughout the metroplex, several cities are using ballistic vests for their police service dogs. However, the
vests are generally used in only high-risk situations. The commanders of the Fort Worth K-9 Unit describe
this limited use as impractical because calls that they respond to are by nature considered high-risk. The
cities that were surveyed by the Police Department have not released any studies regarding the effectiveness
of the vests or the heat stress that is placed on the animal. In terms of danger to the dogs, the consensus
within the City's K-9 Unit is that heat stress is a more significant danger to the dog than the potential gunshot
from a suspect. Since the inception of the program in Fort Worth, only two dogs have been shot with one
resulting fatality.
If the Council directs the Police Department to proceed with this purchase, the cost of the vests ranges from
$900 to $2,000 each. Unless directed otherwise, the department will not pursue the purchase of this
equipment.
1Jp ',qb Terrell �`` ' �`A
IV City Manager ......
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS