CENNTENIAL, Colo. - Next week, two State Senators will
introduce a bill requiring all law enforcement to take dog encounter training.
The bill is sponsored by Senators Lucia Guzman, a Denver Democrat, and David
Balmer, a Centennial Republican.
"Shipping companies, delivery companies, landscaping
companies, they deal with dogs all the time and they don't shoot dogs,"
said Senator Balmer.
The bill would require law enforcement to take a two-hour
initial class as well as an hour long refresher course every year. The courses
would be given by a vet or may be viewed online.
The legislation comes after a series of shootings involving
dogs that caused public outcry. In November of last year, Commerce City Police
shot and killed Chloe, a pit-bull mix outside her home. Video showed police
tase the dog then shoot her five times while she was on a catch-pole.
"It's like losing a family member," said owner,
Gary Branson.
In January, an Adam's County Sheriff's deputy shot and
killed Ziggy, and 8-year-old Blue Heeler-Border Collie mix, after the deputy
responded to the wrong address.
"All he wanted to do was play, that's it," Ziggy's
owner, Jeff Fisher told 7NEWS.
Brittany Moore said she still hasn't recovered after Erie
Police shot and killed her German Shepard, Ava, outside her home in 2011.
"It's hard, it's hard. My three daughters, they don't
trust police cops anymore. They will always remember that a police cop shot
their dog," Moore said.
7NEWS asked Senator Balmer why the legislation is needed
considering some police departments already have policies and training
implemented.
"There are some police departments that have been out
in front of this issue. These are the police departments that haven't had any
dog shootings. It's the other departments that need to work harder on it,"
said Senator Balmer.
7NEWS checked and that's not exactly true. In the case of
Chloe, Commerce City Police went through canine training two years earlier.
Boulder and Brighton police also put their cops through dog encounter training.
Senator Balmer said they have been working with law
enforcement while drafting the bill. He expects it should be introduced to the
Judiciary Committee in the coming weeks.