Monroe Police Department continues to update animal welfare policy
Posted:
Updated:
Oct 2, 2012 06:55 PM
MONROE, La. (KNOE 8 News)- An animal welfare officer was re-assigned after allegations of animal abuse in June. Chief Quentin Holmes told us a couple months ago, the officer will not be re-assigned to work with animals again until their animal welfare policies are updated. During a press conference in July, Police Chief Quentin Holmes announced the investigation results looking into reports of an animal welfare officer abusing dogs on the job. "The action did take place but it was justified." said Holmes.
The incident uncovered current animal control policies and procedures, written in 1991 need to be refreshed. "When this event took place, that led us to okay let's go ahead and pull this policy, lets take a look at it and see what we need to do better." said Charles Roark of the Monroe Police Department.
Sergeant Charles Roark is one of the officers given the assignment of modernizing the outdated policy.
Roark says it's a daunting task but he isn't starting from scratch. "Why recreate the wheel if it's already working." said Roark.
Accredited agencies in a five state network have offered up their own animal welfare policies to the city and Roark is using their guidelines as references. "We take those policies, we take parts, bits and pieces and mold our own."
A working copy of the revamped policy is completed. But before the document is finalized, it will be presented to the community to critique. As for the reassigned Animal Welfare Officer, "We are a ways off from putting the animal welfare officer back in his position, we want to make sure before we do that that person has the proper training and tools to do the job correctly." said Roark.
Roark says a completion date for the policy is difficult to predict, but the officer says he will take the time needed to get it right. "Our ears are open, we haven't forgotten about it, we're actively working on it." said Roark.
In the meantime, the city will have to depend on the parish's animal control services.
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