DATE: June 4, 2025
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Councilmembers
FROM: Police Department
TITLE: PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH MAN-K9, INC. FOR TRAINING SERVICES TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT CANINE UNIT
RECOMMENDATION
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Staff and the Police and Fire Commission recommend that the City Council approve a three-year Professional Services Agreement (PSA) with Man-K9, Inc. to provide training services to the Police Department’s Canine Unit for a three-year period, not to exceed $50,000 annually, for a total contract amount of $150,000; and authorize the City Manager, or designee, to execute the agreement.
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BACKGROUND AND ANALYSIS
The Police Department’s Canine Unit requires weekly training and maintenance to ensure that Canine teams operate to their full capacity. The Police Department Canine Unit has partnered with Man-K9, Inc. for over 18 years. To build the unit’s knowledge and skill level, ongoing training from a service provider such as Man-K9, Inc. is a necessity.
On January 20, 2025, the Police Department published a Request for Proposals (RFP) to bid competitively this professional service and obtain proposals that offer the desired and required level of service and expertise. Man-K9, Inc. was the only company that submitted a proposal. The City’s current contract with Man K-9, Inc. to provide Canine Training Services expires June 30, 2025.
After completing basic training and successfully passing an initial Police Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) certification examination, the K-9 team may be deployed in the field and assume basic K-9 team duties. However, training a police service dog is a continuous and demanding process that requires the assistance of a professional trainer. The Department’s Trainer, Man K-9, Inc., provides regular and on-going maintenance training.
Mandatory maintenance training
All K-9 teams are required to take part in the following:
o Monthly - P.O.S.T. requires a minimum of 20 hours of training per calendar month per team. This may include training hours in tracking or narcotics detection training.
o Weekly - Five hours under the direction of the Department’s Trainer. An additional hour of training per week is normally conducted with the Department Trainer for tracking and/or narcotics detection.
o Daily - 15 to 20 minutes on working days conducted by the individual handler and/or the K-9 Supervisor.
o In-Field Training - As necessary to correct specific problems and conducted under the direction of the K-9 Supervisor and/or the Department’s Trainer.
Regular unit maintenance training by Man-K9, Inc. is intended for a four-dog unit, to maintain and keep its training up to date. Training from Man-K9, Inc. will consist of 20 hours in a four-week month and 25 hours in a five-week month, plus four hours in a four-week month and five hours in a five-week month of narcotics detection.
The narcotics detection training plan will consist of weekly scenarios to include but not limited to building searches, vehicle searches, low alerts, medium alerts, high alerts, endurance searching, and odor distractions.
FISCAL IMPACT
|
Description |
Annual Amount |
Account |
Projected Account Balance in FY2025-26 |
|
PSA with Man-K9, Inc. |
$50,000 |
OPD Patrol 500517101.5305 |
$289,695 |
The cost of the three-year agreement will be included during the annual budget process.
COMMISSION OR COMMITTEE REPORT
The Police and Fire Commission approved the staff’s recommendation at its regularly scheduled meeting on May 15, 2025.
CITY ATTORNEY’S ANALYSIS
The referenced documents have been reviewed by the City Attorney and approved as to form.
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Prepared by: Justin Pecchia, Police Captain
Reviewed by: Taurino Valdovinos, Police Chief
Submitted by: Jonathan Borrego, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Staff Report
2. K9 Training Services RFP PSA
3. OPD Training Proposal - Man-K9
4. Man-K9 Training Services PSA