By BOB OLIVER
Times-Herald Newspapers
HEIGHTS — Pending a review of the proposed contract from an area trainer by corporation counsel, the city’s ordinance officers will begin training soon to become certified in animal control.
The City Council heard from Ordinance Department Director James McIntyre and certified trainer Shellean Polovich on the matter prior to the April 8 council meeting.
Polovich, who works out of Livonia and has more than 31 years of experience in animal control, said she and another certified trainer will work with the ordinance officers to make sure that they get the state required 120 hours of training in the classroom and in ride-alongs.
“We’ll give each officer their training in state laws and regulations as well as in policies and procedures geared toward your city’s individual ordinances,” Polovich said. “They’ll get hands-on training with animals and a lot of work in bite prevention. They’ll know how to handle different situations safely after the training.”
Krystina Kramarz, an assistant to Mayor Dan Paletko, said the city has been trying to bring in an animal control officer for the last year but has been unsuccessful because the city wanted a part-time officer and qualified candidates wanted either a full-time position or more money than the city had budgeted for the position.
Kramarz said the city created a new ordinance department in February with the intention of cross-training the officers in animal and vector control.
The new department has three full-time employees and one supervisor, all of whom will receive training, and will have several part-time employees during the spring and summer as needed who will be trained by the full-time officers.
Kramarz said the city is still using the Taylor Animal Shelter as a drop off place for animals that are collected but that that could be changed in the next few months to a center in Westland or to Dearborn when the Friends For the Dearborn Animal Shelter moves to a new site and expands.
McIntyre said the city already had a vehicle for animal pick-up as well as other capture equipment so the officers will be ready to go once the training is complete.
“This is the best idea we’ve come up with to try to bring a solution to the animal control problem,” McIntyre said. “Having everyone trained means we can have an officer dedicated to the position during the week and others rotate in to cover different times without a drop in service.”
Councilman Ned Apigian said it sounded like a good deal to him because after being certified the officers can train future officers in-house to save the city money.
“This is a one-time expenditure,” Apigian said. “I think this makes a lot of sense for the city.”
Councilman Thomas Berry said the city also receives many calls from residents regarding raccoons and other wild animals, but Polovich assured him that officers would be prepared.
“Our training involves both wildlife and domestic animals, so officers would be prepared for a variety of situations,” Polovich said.
No timetable has been set for either the start or completion of training but Paletko said the city wants to work quickly so the officers are trained before the summer when the most complaints come in.
“(Corporation Counsel) Gary Miotke is going to revise the contract but we wanted to introduce the council to this because we are ready to move on it immediately,” Paletko said.
(Bob Oliver can be reached at [email protected].)