BRENHAM POLICE DEPT. SEEKING TO REINSTATE K-9 PROGRAM

  

The Brenham Police Department is looking to bring back its K-9 program.

Brenham Police Sergeant Jimmy Ha, who discussed the department’s plans with the city council during a work session on Thursday, said the goal is to strengthen public safety, improve officer efficiency and bolster community outreach.  The program has been on pause since the retirement of K-9 Robbie in September 2020, and Ha said its absence has hindered the department’s response in high-risk situations.

Ha said there are a variety of training specialties for K-9s, but the Brenham Police Department is specifically seeking to obtain a dog trained with narcotics and apprehending suspects.

When Councilmember Dr. Paul LaRoche III asked the reason for the police department exiting the program, City Manager Carolyn Miller responded that the dogs were aging out and being retired to their handlers, and there was also a need at the time to reevaluate the program amid turnover in the department.

Ha said his intent would be to house the K-9 himself, if he is selected for the officer position.  He said he would participate in continual training alongside K-9 handlers from other area agencies.

Ha said the department is actively seeking donations to help cover expenses associated with training, equipment, veterinary care and handler support, in order to ensure the program’s sustainability long-term.  Councilmember Steve Soman asked if they had checked into organizations that facilitate K-9 programs for local police departments, like K9s4COPs.  Ha replied that some organizations have strict prerequisites or reporting requirements to adhere to, so the department is mainly trying to use donations in order to maintain more independence with the program.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, the council:

• Appointed Clint Kolby to continue serving as Mayor Pro Tem.
• Held work session talks on proposed city-managed fixed base operator (FBO) rates and charges for the Brenham Municipal Airport.  Interim Airport Manager Jim Halley said city staff researched the rates and charges for other similar-sized airports in the region, and that these will allow the airport to take steps toward becoming financially self-sufficient.  He added that the proposed rates will rarely affect regular tenants at the airport and are more so for transient users. 
• Adopted a master plan for the Brenham Municipal Airport.  The plan, which has been reviewed and approved by TxDOT Aviation and the Federal Aviation Administration, acts as a long-range guide to help regulate development, improvements and operations at the airport.  The city’s last airport master plan was completed in 1986, and an update, the airport development plan, was conducted in 2005.  Halley said approval of the master plan rescinds the moratorium put into place at the airport in July 2022.
• Authorized an advance funding agreement for local government maintenance of railroad crossing approaches between the city and TxDOT, associated with maintenance for the BNSF railroad crossing at Burleson Street and Lounge Road.  TxDOT will work with BNSF to enhance the crossing, and the city will have no cost on the project, but it will be responsible in the future for any pavement transitions, advance pavement markings, warning signs and routine tree trimming within the city’s jurisdictional roadways that tie into the crossing.
• Approved an amendment to the interlocal agreement for managing entity by the Brazos Valley Council of Governments (BVCOG) for the Brazos Valley Wide Area Communications System (BVWACS), as well as an amendment to the third reinstatement of the interlocal agreement for the construction, implementation, operation and maintenance of BVWACS.  The amendments add Robertson County to the system.
• Approved a change order and final payment to Texas KB Utilities related to the 2023 Brenham Business Center sanitary sewer extension project.  The change order provides net savings to the city of $8,890.
• Held work session discussion to receive the financial reports from the second quarter of the 2024-25 Fiscal Year.
• Held executive session discussion about the possible purchase, exchange or acquisition of real property for the city’s sanitary sewer improvements and facilities.  No action was scheduled to be taken.

Click here to view the agenda packet for Thursday’s meeting.