Panama City Beach considers spending $26,000 for 2 police dogs

Nathan Cobb, The News Herald
·2 min read

PANAMA CITY BEACH — Officials are considering that the city spend $26,000 on two dual-purpose narcotic detection dogs for the Panama City Beach Police Department.

The purchase will be considered by city councilmen during their meeting Thursday beginning at 6 p.m. at City Hall. If approved, the new dogs will replace two of the four K-9s currently working with Beach police.

"K-9s play an important role and are valuable members of our law enforcement team," PCBPD Deputy Chief Chad Lindsey wrote in an email. "This purchase is to replace two valuable members of our K-9 team who have served this community well."

Zeus is one of four K-9s working with the Panama City Beach Police Department. City officials will consider the purchase of two replacement K-9s in a City Council meeting on Thursday.
Zeus is one of four K-9s working with the Panama City Beach Police Department. City officials will consider the purchase of two replacement K-9s in a City Council meeting on Thursday.

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Lindsey also said department officials "probably" will look into adding more K-9s in the future.

During the recent "Panamaniac" weekend — which occurred almost three weeks ago and created a dramatic influx of crime in Panama City Beach — a video circulating on social media showed how one officer with a K-9 was able to quickly disperse an unruly crowd of hundreds.

It was during that weekend the Beach Police Department, Panama City Police Department and Bay County Sheriff's Office arrested a combined 161 people in just two days. The departments also confiscated 75 illegal guns in the same time period.

Officials with the Panama City Beach Police Department say K-9s are valuable members of local law enforcement. They also say the department probably will consider adding more K-9s in the future.
Officials with the Panama City Beach Police Department say K-9s are valuable members of local law enforcement. They also say the department probably will consider adding more K-9s in the future.

The unsanctioned event gained traction on social media, and local law enforcement officers have since arrested two of the people who were responsible for promoting the gathering on charges of inciting or encouraging a riot. Both men are from Alabama.

The agenda for Thursday's meeting shows that the two K-9s being considered for purchase are from the Houston K9 Academy in Houston, Texas.

Beach officials noted that the city put out a request for bids for the K-9s in December 2021, "long before the March unrest."

No bids were received, so Beach police officials requested quotes from three K-9 vendors, of which the Houston K9 Academy submitted the lowest.

The bid includes training for the dogs, which, if the purchase is approved, will occur at the Dothan Police Department in Dothan, Alabama.

Both dogs being considered are of the Belgian Malinois breed.

"The K-9s are another tool law enforcement uses in various situations," Lindsey wrote. "They are an important component to our operations."

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Panama City Beach considers replacing two police dogs for $26,000