<<I have heard that they cannot train the dog unless they are being paid for it, and are also allotted so much time each month. I imagine some asswipe badge hunter cried about having to actually train his dog,>>
Since nothing that was posted was really a question, just meant to stir the pot, what the heck, I'll play along. I'll start by saying that the statement I copied shows a couple of areas of "innocence" for the lack of a more argumentative word.
I'm sure that working people every where donate hundreds of hours to thier employer. Yet if a police officer feels he's entitled to pay for hours worked they called some silly name. (actually that name doesn't make sense), but having said that, I'd also like to point out that under Federal law, Businesses, police departments, the water department, IBM, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, the list goes on but I think you get the idea, are required to compensate workers for hours worked. Why should the dog handler, be any different. If the mechanic that fixes the car has to work overtime, he'll get paid. I'm assuming if some on this board, that works for a business, works overtime, they will get paid.
Training a police dog, in my department, and many that I work with, is on-duty time. Therefore the officer is not paid overtime, it's part of his required hours. Which by the way, we don't work 40 hour weeks, we work 28 day schedules of 160 hours. Officers are compensated for 1 hour per day for care of dog and kennel. They can be compensated at a rate less than thier (police) hourly rate. This is Federally mandated, departments not abiding by the law are subject to punitive action. I guess my biggest question relative pay, why should a police officer be any different than anyone else when it comes to compensation. Sure I like my job. I love being canine, does that mean I should be treated differently than anyone else in the workplace. Or, perhaps, anyone that has a job they truly enjoy should be required to work extra hours without compensation. Hmm that might work.
On the training aspect, <<<<The best of the best stay in competition, are at stud, cost too much money for a police dept, or all of the above. Police departments in the US, mostly get left-overs.>>>>
Utter nonsense and shows a complete lack of understanding of police canine units or how they procure dogs.
<<<<However, they can't leave the state with their dogs for training or testing, they can't train unless they're getting paid,>>>
I have an idea, why don't you borrow equipment from your employer and take it out of state. Of course the employer is still liable if something happens, but then we know, no one really likes law suits so I'm sure it would be ok. As far as training without being paid, I refer you to the Federal Labor Standards Act. Not only could the department be held liable for payment but for punitive damages as well.
As for volunteering, police officers, like any other citizen can buy a dog to be trained in search and rescue, train it, deploy with it, on his own time, and work all he wants. While many departments do require you obtain approval, I've never heard of an officer being turned down as a volunteer in these aspects. Many are volunteer firement, EMT's etc.
So many conclusions based on, what I percieve, very little fact.
DFrost
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