A police dog’s death has Kansas poised to increase penalties for killing K-9 officers

By JOHN HANNA
AP Political Writer

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is poised to increase its penalties for killing police dogs and horses. Legislators gave their final approval Tuesday to a measure inspired by a suspect’s strangling of a dog last year in the state’s largest city of Wichita. The Republican-controlled state House approved a bill with a 115-6 vote that would allow a first-time offender to be sentenced to more than three years and fined up to $10,000 after killing a police animal. The current penalty is up to a year behind bars and a fine of between $500 and $5,000. The GOP-controlled Senate approved the measure last week, and the bill goes next to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly.