Pensions for Pooches : Simi Valley Council Approves Retirement Benefits for Police Dogs

Simi Valley police officers must be at least 50 years old and serve at least five years before they are eligible for full retirement benefits, but the City Council has agreed unanimously to make an exception for a few top dogs.

The council adopted a policy that requires the city to sell its retiring police canines to their partners for $1 and to pay all of the animal’s food and veterinary expenses. The average police dog retires at age 9 and has a life span of 10 to 15 years, officials said.

“It’s a heck of a lot cheaper than the retirement of a two-legged officer,” Councilwoman Judy Mikels said.

The council’s action makes the Simi Valley Police Department the first in the county to have a retirement plan for animals. And currently the policy would apply to two German shepherds, Atlas, 9, and Carlo, 6.

Atlas has served five years on the force and will retire later this year. The dog and his handler, Officer Sterling Johnson, have won many awards at the annual World Police and Fire Games.

And police and city officials credit Atlas with sniffing out drugs and assisting in hundreds of arrests.

“He is an officer, at least in my mind,” said Councilman Bill Davis, who proposed the retirement plan.

“A lot of people laughed when I first brought this up a few months ago,” he said. “But God almighty, it just makes a lot of sense to me. To me, it is a fairness issue.”

Councilman Glen McAdoo agreed and suggested that the city set up a special memorial cemetery in Atlas’ name for future police dogs. The council directed its staff to study the cemetery proposal and report back as soon as possible.

The police departments of Ventura, Oxnard, Santa Paula and Port Hueneme and the Sheriff’s Department also use canine units. At all the agencies except the Santa Paula Police Department, a retiring police dog is sold to its partner for $1. From then on, officials said, the officer assumes full responsibility for the animal’s care.

Santa Paula officials said they have no official retirement policy.

Carlo’s partner, Officer Ron Chambers,

said he was delighted about the city’s new retirement policy. They have teamed up since the Police Department bought Carlo in 1989.

“I think it’s excellent,” he said. “The dogs definitely deserve it.”

Chambers said Atlas and Carlo are special dogs that need special care. The Police Department paid about $5,000 for each dog and continues to train them once a week.

Both animals, which were reared and trained in Germany for their police work, respond only to German commands. They eat a special dog food imported from Germany that is made of lean meats and vegetables of the highest quality, Chambers said. The food costs about three times the price of regular dog food.

The dogs live with their partners and are on call 24 hours a day. Chambers said he always expected to take care of Carlo when the dog retired.

“He’s my partner. I spend more time with this dog than my family,” he said. “It would be tough to part with him.”