Cape Council approves first reading appropriating funds for new K-9s, including gun-detection dog

The Cape Girardeau City Council approved the first reading of an ordinance appropriating $571,477 of the general fund balance to replace body camera equipment, 64 new laptops and three new K-9s, including a gun-detection dog.

According to a council agenda report, the three K-9s are a $45,000 expenditure. The report states the gun-detection dog is trained and certified in the location and detection of firearms, with the other two K-9s replacing two that recently retired.

At a Thursday, Aug. 1, Gun Violence Task Force meeting, K-9 officer Scott Droddy told the committee the Cape Girardeau Police Department was acquiring a "gun dog". Droddy said the dog is considered a "pointer" and isn't meant for apprehension.

“This dog is going to be trained in person-worn guns, and it can also detect on article searches and school lockers, it can run vehicles,” he said in the Aug. 1 article.

According to prior reporting, Droddy said the dog would be used mainly at city events or other events where guns aren't allowed. He said the dog can find shell casings and can distinguish between casings and guns.

Interim chief of police Adam Glueck told the Southeast Missourian that the gun-detection dog is named Ela and is a German wirehaired pointer. Glueck said Ela has wrapped up training.

Droddy said Ela has had one utilization since being trained in response to a ShotSpotter incident.

The agenda report states that the department will be replacing 64 body cameras, including "related data storage and accessories." The replacements will cost $173,737, and the report states the existing equipment was purchased in 2022 and "has exceeded its useful life."

The report also states that the department will be replacing its existing patrol unit tablets with 64 laptops with up-to-date software and technology. The tablets were purchased in 2019 and the cost of the replacements is $352,740.

Glueck said the tablets have a lifespan of about five years and the body cameras are about two years.

Ward 4 Councilman David Cantrell asked Glueck whether department officials take into consideration what the state of Missouri does when buying equipment such as computers.

"We do look at other options, and we try to find the most cost-effective option that's still going to do in cars. We run a variety of programs on them," Glueck said. "This is all technology we didn't have back when I first started — when I started we didn't have any car computers, so if there was a street address you weren't familiar with, we would have to get directions from our dispatch center."

Glueck also said they did go with one of the "cheaper" options for body cameras. He said they looked at different companies but they were more expensive.

Glueck said the largest cost associated with the body cameras is data storage.