A. The Legislature finds and declares that it is in the public interest:

1. For the Department of Public Safety to acquire, house and train canines to assist in explosives detection, to seek out and discover controlled dangerous substances, to perform drug interdiction, to perform patrol activities, to perform article searches, to provide officer protection, and to engage in tracking in order to assist in the apprehension and arrest of criminals or those reasonably believed to be criminals or engaged in a criminal activity; and

2. To kennel each canine with its full-time trainer-handler, who shall be the primary caregiver of the canine.

B. The Commissioner of Public Safety is hereby authorized, and it is hereby deemed to be a public function of the Department of Public Safety:

1. To own, train and use canines for the purposes described in subsection A of this section;

2. To house each canine of the Department with the particular trainer-handler of the canine; and

3. To pay from any monies available to the Department for the construction and repair expenses of a kennel for each canine of the Department on the private property of the trainer-handler of the canine.

C. Construction and repair expenses of a kennel shall include, but not be limited to, minor improvements to the real property of the trainer-handler, such as a necessary concrete slab for the kennel floor, kennel water line and spigot, kennel fencing, and shelter, all of which may be affixed to the real property of the trainer-handler. Fixtures to real property approved herein may also include a drainage and septic system for sanitary purposes, but only in the case which is the result of numerous canines, such as those used for tracking, kenneled at a particular location.

D. Any kennel facilities authorized by this section shall only be used for the kenneling of, caring for, and training of state-owned canines and shall be reasonable in both size and cost.

E. Any expenditure made under the provisions of this section shall be overseen and approved by the Commissioner, or his or her designee, prior to being incurred, unless the Commissioner specifically provides an exception; provided, under all circumstances the Commissioner shall retain complete control over the expenditures and shall establish internal procedures and guidelines for the expenditures and the eligibility of anyone to receive such expenditures.

Added by Laws 2008, c. 297, § 1, emerg. eff. June 2, 2008.