FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — A bill highlighted at Gov. Andy Beshear’s weekly press conference on Thursday will give police electronic detection dogs the same protection as other police dogs.
One of those specialized police dogs and her handler, Kentucky State Police Sgt. Leslie Strong, stood beside Gov. Beshear as he ceremonially signed House Bill 115, which was officially signed into law in April.
Electronic detection dogs are able to track down devices like storage drives or phones that might contain child sex abuse material. It's a skill that is used in investigating internet crimes against children, and Gov. Beshear noted that the storage devices found by the dogs can often help investigators track down other suspects and victims.
Under the new law, harming an electronic detection dog could carry the same Class D felony that comes with harming other police dogs – assault on a service animal.
Strong was the one who brought the issue to light.
“I was actually studying for the sergeants' exam when I noticed in the definition of service animal – our electronic detection K9s weren't included in that,” Strong said.
House Bill 115 was sponsored by Rep. Bill Wesley of Ravenna, who also attended the press conference Thursday.
“Over the past few years, we’ve been working with local law enforcement and our K-9 units and this one is very dear to me because it protects our children,” Wesley said. “The service and the work that this does through Sgt. Strong, we only have two dogs in the state of Kentucky that specialize in this.”
