“T]- To: Chief Daniel C. O'Leary From: Patrol Officer Pierre Verrier Subject: Animal Control Update Date: December 7, 2010 As you know, I have been a Brookline Police Officer for 19 years and have been assigned as The Brookline Police Animal Control Officer for the past three years, In addition to my Police Academy Training and annual in-service training, | have attended a nine-week training course certified by The Massachusetts Animal Control Officer Association. ‘The job description of The Animal Control Officer is as follows: The Animal Control Officer is responsible for the enforcement of the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the by-laws of the Town of Brookline pertaining to the licensing and control of dogs and other regulated animals. The Animal Control Officer investigates complaints involving dogs and other animals and patrols the Town as necessary to enforce animal laws and by-laws. In my efforts to achieve the goals stated in the above description, | have utilized tools such as clear, understandable bylaws and policies, partnerships, conflict resolution techniques and public education to raise awareness and improve voluntary compliance. My main areas of focus have been activities that affect public health and safety, protection of environment and protection of municipal infrastructure. | often work in conjunction with other town agencies such as the Health Department and the Department of parks and open spaces. As the Animal Control Officer, my main focus is helping encourage a safe, healthy, and vibrant environment for the people and pets in this community. Over the past twelve months I have responded to 1152 calls (Please see the attached annual report). I respond to a variety of calls including, dog bites, dogs barking, loose animals, bat calls, follow ups, and other animal related calls. During this time 1 have written 89 Town By-Law Violations. Of these violations, 28 (1/3) were written in Green Dog Parks. 8 of these were for dog bites. I begin each shift early in the morning, 6:30 AM - 7:00 AM, by monitoring the 15 Green Dog Parks. I continue to monitor the parks throughout the course of each shift. I spend approximately 80%-90% of each shift at Green Dog Parks or dealing with issues related to the parks. One of the major issues at the Green Dog Parks is the use of the parks by Non-Brookline Residents, I often observe large groups of non-residents who meet at the parks. Larz Anderson Park and Lynch Park are particularly popular spots for these groups to congregate at. In my experience Non-Residents violate the posted rules and times at the parks more often than residents and are often argumentative when confronted. On 6-11 of this year, I was assaulted by a Boston Resident who had failed to pick up after his dog at Larz Anderson. Commercial dog walkers can be a challenging issue to deal with. They often come to the parks with a van load of dogs and will often violate the three dogs per person rule. Thesewalkers often lose control of the dogs in their care. On several occasions I have located dogs running outside the park that belong with the dog walkers. Approximately a year ago, the majority of Downes Field was open to all dogs. However, we | received numerous complaints from parents, coaches, and students regarding damage to the artificial turf and dog waste being left on the field. As a result the majority of the field was closed to use by dog owners. More recently I recommended that Boylston Playground be closed for weekday use by owners under the Green Dog Program. ‘This was also due toa large amount of dog waste on the field and the possible danger of students interacting with loose dogs. With the proximity of the Runkle School temporarily located at 194 Boylston St, it was unsafe to allow weekday use. In the past year two dogs have been forbidden from using any park in Brookline. This was te ttre aggressive and viotent behavior towards other dogs an humans The recently proposed licensing of dog owners using Green Dog Parks would be mmmensely helpful in my efforts to enforce the Green Dog Program Rules and to keep the parks safe for use by both dogs and their owners, Lanyards or other easily recognizable identification would make enforcement safer and more efficient. This would also aid other Police Officers who would not be as familiar as myself with the Green Dog Program. The licensing would also make discerning commercial dog walkers from private dog owners much easier. The licensing would also help the issue of properly identifying dog owners/ walkers in violation of Green Dog Program Rules. Currently, a violator need not provide positive/ physical identification The licensing proposal would allow for a much more efficient enforcement of existing rules and collection of fines. This would be similar to the success The Brookline Police Department has had in addressing parking enforcement issues and more recently in utilizing the new noise violation by-law to address loud parties. ‘As The Animal Control Officer, I believe that the proposed Green Dog Program Licensing would be beneficial for the town and help ensure a safe environment for both dogs and their owners. Respectfully Submitted, Pierre Verrier A.C.O