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TB 4.3.2018 <br />ORDINANCE NO. NS-XXXX <br />AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF <br />SANTA ANA AMENDING SECTION 10-152 TO THE SANTA <br />ANA MUNICIPAL CODE RELATED TO POLICE CANINES <br />TO EXPAND THE DEFINITION OF THE CODE TO POLICE <br />ANIMALS <br />THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SANTA ANA DOES ORDAIN AS <br />FOLLOWS: <br />Section 1. The City Council of the City of Santa Ana hereby finds, determines <br />and declares as follows: <br />A. On April 5, 1982, the City Council approved Ordinance No. NS -1625 adding <br />Section 10-152 to Chapter 10 of the Santa Ana Municipal Code for the <br />purpose of regulating willful or malicious acts against police canines in the <br />performance of any duty or function with the Santa Ana Police Department. <br />B. The City's Police Department currently utilizes six (6) police K -g's and one <br />(1) bloodhound. Each day, there are two (2) K-9 units deployed citywide to <br />assist the Police Department and outside agencies, upon request. <br />C. In addition to the police canines serving the City, the City's Police <br />Department will celebrate the 30th year anniversary of its Mounted <br />Enforcement Unit in 2018. The Mounted Enforcement Unit is comprised of <br />a stable of 8-10 horses with access to another 30 horses from the Orange <br />County Regional team to assist with special events, protests and crowd <br />control. The Unit patrols Santa Ana parks, shopping areas, and the <br />Downtown District. The horse teams provide active enforcement assisting <br />with quality of life issues; preventing physical altercations and criminal <br />activity, and dealing with crowd control as their strongest asset. The horses <br />are able to go where officers cannot drive and their calm majestic demeanor <br />allows crowds to be dispersed quickly. <br />D. In 2017, the Unit was deployed on 169 assignments. Each shift lasts up to <br />eight (8) hours with two (2) horses for each deployment that equate to <br />approximately 2700 hours of active service. <br />E. In their service to the City, police personnel have witnessed acts against <br />police service horses including the following: bottles thrown at them; <br />individuals purposely kicking their legs; taunting, screaming, striking the <br />horse on its hind quarters or similar actions in an attempt to spook the horse; <br />extinguishing a burning cigarette on the horse; and punching a police horse <br />in the face causing the horse to try and escape only to slip and fall onto the <br />sidewalk. While these events are not a daily occurrence, a frightened or hurt <br />Ordinance No. NS-XXXX <br />Page 1 of 3 <br />11 A-3 <br />