Resolve, To Provide Grants to Law Enforcement Agencies To Acquire and Train Drug-detecting Dogs
Maine Legislature, Session 128, LD 0600
Committee: Criminal Justice and Public Safety
Sponsors: HARRINGTON, WOODSOME, BATTLE, COREY, FOLEY, GERRISH, WARREN, DAVIS, DION, SAVIELLO

Legislative Document
No. 600
H.P. 416
House of Representatives, February 16, 2017
Resolve, To Provide Grants to Law Enforcement Agencies To 
Acquire and Train Drug-detecting Dogs
Reference to the Committee on Criminal Justice and Public Safety suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative HARRINGTON of Sanford.
Cosponsored by Senator WOODSOME of York and
Representatives: BATTLE of South Portland, COREY of Windham, FOLEY of Wells, 
GERRISH of Lebanon, WARREN of Hallowell, Senators: DAVIS of Piscataquis, DION of 
Cumberland, SAVIELLO of Franklin.
Sec. 1.  Grants for law enforcement drug-detecting dogs.  Resolved:  That 
the Commissioner of Public Safety shall establish a one-year grant program to assist law 
enforcement agencies to acquire and train drug-detecting dogs as provided in this section. 
1.  Definitions.  As used in this resolve, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A.  "Drug-detecting dog" or "dog" means a dog that is trained to detect the presence 
of drugs or other illegal substances and to alert the law enforcement officer who is the 
handler of the dog to the presence of the drugs or illegal substances. 
B.  "Grant program" means the program established under this section to provide 
assistance to law enforcement agencies as provided in subsection 2. 
C.  "Law enforcement agency" means the State Police, a sheriff's department or a 
municipal police department. 
D.  "Law enforcement officer" means any person who by virtue of public 
employment is vested by law with a duty to make arrests for crimes, whether that 
duty extends to all crimes or is limited to specific crimes. 
2.  Grant program.  The grant program may provide grants for one year to up to 10 
law enforcement agencies to acquire and train drug-detecting dogs.  The grant program 
may be used by the law enforcement agency to pay for the cost of the dog; training for the 
dog, including but not limited to drug detection academy training; and drug detection 
training and certification for the law enforcement officer who is the handler of the dog, 
including but not limited to any overtime pay necessary for training for the officer.  The 
grant program may not be used by the law enforcement agency to pay for food or 
veterinary care for the dog or the cost of any certifications for the dog beyond the initial 
training. 
3.  Application form; criteria for awarding grants.  The Commissioner of Public 
Safety shall adopt rules to specify the application form for the grant program and the 
criteria for awarding grants.  The commissioner shall make applications available on 
January 1, 2018 and grant awards by April 1, 2018.  Rules adopted pursuant to this 
subsection are routine technical rules as defined by the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
SUMMARY 
This resolve directs the Commissioner of Public Safety to establish a grant program 
for one year to assist law enforcement agencies to acquire and train drug-detecting dogs.  
The grant program may provide assistance to up to 10 law enforcement agencies.  The 
grant program may pay for the cost of the dog; training for the dog, including but not 
limited to drug detection academy training; and drug detection training and certification 
for the law enforcement officer who is the handler of the dog, including but not limited to 
any overtime pay necessary for training for the officer.  The grant program may not pay 
for the cost of food or veterinary care for the dog or the cost of any certifications for the 
dog beyond the initial training.  The resolve directs the Commissioner of Public Safety to 
adopt routine technical rules to specify the application form for the grant program and the 
criteria for awarding grants and to make applications available by January 1, 2018 and 
grant awards by April 1, 2018.