Sec. 1. 17-A MRSA §752-B, as amended by PL 2001, c. 383, §§82 and 83 and affected by §156, is further amended to read:

§752-B. Unlawful interference with law enforcement

dogs

1. A person is guilty of unlawful interference with a law enforcement dog if the person intentionally or knowingly:

A. Kills, mutilates or permanently disables any dog that the person knows or reasonably should have known is certified used for law enforcement use purposes. Violation of this paragraph is a Class C crime; or

B. Torments, beats, strikes, injures, temporarily disables or otherwise mistreats any dog that the person knows or reasonably should have known is certified used for law enforcement use purposes. Violation of this paragraph is a Class D crime.

2. For the purposes of this section, a dog is certified for law enforcement use if the State has certified that the dog has satisfactorily completed requisite training for one or more law enforcement purposes.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the law regarding interference with law enforcement dogs by applying the crime to any person who harms a dog that the person knows or reasonably should have known is used for law enforcement purposes. Currently, the prohibition applies only to a person who harms a dog that the person knows or reasonably should have known is certified by the State for law enforcement use.