BEDFORD HEIGHTS, Ohio — A bitter dispute between the Bedford Heights Police Department and its former K-9 officer has apparently been resolved.
On Thursday, the department put out a one-sentence post on its Facebook page, "K-9 Bosco went home with patrolman Kaetzel today."
As 3News' Kaitor Kay reported last week, outgoing Bedford Heights K-9 police officer Ryan Kaetzel was seeking to keep the department's dog, Bosco, after they worked together for five years. Kaetzel told 3News that turning in Bosco last week "was the toughest thing he's ever had to do in his life."
In a statement released last week, Bedford Heights Police Chief Michael Marotta said once he was made aware that Kaetzel was leaving the Bedford Heights police force, he made arrangements to assign another officer to the department's K-9 unit. On July 17, Kaetzel met with Marotta and Bedford Heights' assistant police chief to discuss his departure. Two days later, Kaetzel filed a lawsuit against the Bedford Heights Police Department. While Kaetzel described the suit to 3News as "unpaid overtime," Marotta said the lawsuit was requesting additional compensation for the care of Bosco.
Kaetzel told 3News that he and Marotta were working on a deal to sell Bosco to Kaetzel for one dollar, but that deal collapsed when he sued the department. Kaetzel believed at the time that Bedford Heights police keeping the dog from him was retaliation for the lawsuit.
Marotta says he had planned to advocate for the deal with Kaetzel with the mayor and law director of Bedford Heights. "I hadn't even had a chance to meet with the Mayor to discuss the proposal he (Kaetzel) made at our meeting, when two days later, Officer Kaetzel filed his lawsuit."
Kaetzel amended his unpaid overtime lawsuit against the department to include a retaliation complaint for not letting him keep Bosco. According to Marotta, Kaetzel's attorney is demanding $143,763 from the department.
In his statement, Marotta pointed out that when it comes to police dogs, the city of Bedford Heights pays for all expenses associated with K9 needs. This includes food, veterinary-related expenses, collars, leashes, etc. The city also pays for the bi-weekly training of the dog and provides the officer with eight hours of pay for the training, despite the fact that the sessions are usually less than a full day. When K9 officers go on vacation, the city pays for the boarding of the dog.
"Officer Kaetzel enjoyed the benefits of a loving and obedient dog without any of the usual expenses associated with that dog," Marotta stated. The chief added that Kaetzel was provided with the use of a city vehicle with the gas paid for to assist him in his 75-mile round-trip commute to work.
Despite the lawsuit, Marotta had emphasized last week that Bedford Heights officials were still negotiating with Kaetzel. "I want to say that the City and Officer Kaetzel are continuing to try to come to a fair and reasonable resolution to this matter. I am hopeful that that can be accomplished soon."
Also last week, two area organizations told Kaitor Kay that they were willing to buy and completely train a new K9 for the department if they release Bosco to Kaetzel.
"Bosco was the first dog that our organization was able to vest. We provided him with a protective vest for while he's on duty," Trish Kilroy, founder of Protecting Ohio K9 Officers, said. "I love him. I go twice a year. I bring cookies for the dog. I bring him Christmas presents." Kilroy was teaming up with Buckeye Area Regional K9 to try to arrange for Bosco to stay with Kaetzel.
Prior to Thursday's post by the Bedford Heights Police Department, a rally for Bosco to be returned to Kaetzel had been planned for this weekend.
