Kansas lawmakers look to increase penalties for harming police dogs

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislatore are moving to impose tougher prison sentences for harming or killing police dogs. A measure has bipartisan support despite questions elsewhere over how the animals are used. The state House expected to take a final vote Wednesday (Feb. 14, 2024) on a bill that would allow judges to sentence first-time offenders to five years in prison for killing a policed dog and mandate a fine of at least $10,000. Killing the dogs already is a felony in Kansas, but the maximum prison sentence is one year and the maximum fine is $5,000. The measure is a response to the death in November of an 8-year-old sheriff’s dog in Wichita.