BOSTON -A House bill that would allow police dogs injured in the line of duty to be treated and transported by emergency personnel will be heard before the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security today at the State House.
Nero’s Bill, which has been proposed by Barnstable State Representative Will Crocker, was filed in January.
“This is going to be something that I think is going to be really, a wide spread part of the healing process,” said Crocker.
If passed, it would allow police K9s to be treated and transported by EMS if injured in the line of duty, if there is not a competing need for human transport. Current state law does not allow this.
It also requires that the care given to the dogs is consistent with standards approved by the Office of Emergency Medical Services.
The legislation is named after former Yarmouth Police K-9 Nero, who was Yarmouth Sgt. Sean Gannon’s partner.
Gannon was fatally shot while attempting to serve an arrest warrant at a home in Marstons Mills last year.
“I’m looking forward to being able to testify, I’m looking forward to being able to hear all the other people who are associated with the law enforcement community come up and explain to the committee why this needs to be done,” said Crocker.
Crocker adds that if Nero’s Bill becomes law, Massachusetts would be one of only four or five other states in the country that have similar legislation.
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