Ex-Cop Sues Pflugerville PD For Compensation In Taking Care Of K9

PFLUGERVILLE, TX — An ex- officer with the Pflugerville Police Department is demanding back pay to caring for his police dog at his home and after regular working hours, according to a recently filed lawsuit.

Jefferson Schaefer filed suit on Jan. 3 in U.S. District Court alleging he received no compensation of overtime work in violation of federal labor laws, the Austin American-Statesman reported. A police department spokeswoman declined comment, citing the pending nature of the litigation, according to the newspaper.

David Langenfeld, the labor employment lawyer representing Schaefer, told the newspaper the former officer provided the full range of care for his K-9 partner — training, feeding, exercising and general care— at his home . Schaefer most recently worked within the Pflugerville ISD Police Department, which has more than two dozen officers working at the 34 school district campuses, the Statesman noted.

The attorney noted police departments and municipalities generally forge agreements to compensate police officers caring for their canine partners, and officers lacking such a formal agreement are entitled to reasonable compensation: “It’s a big issue all over the state, all over the country,” Langenfeld told the Statesman. “Police officers have tough jobs, and they ought to be paid for all the hours they work, just like everybody else.”

Schaefer joined the Police Department as an hourly employee in December 2010, according to the lawsuit. His lawyer told the newspaper Schaefer worked under former police Chief Chuck Hooker and current Chief Jessica Robledo, who began heading the department in January 2017.

According to information found on the city website, officers have kennels at their home to take care of K-9 partners while off-duty. The police department has three narcotics detection K-9s, according to a city media release cited by the newspaper.

>>> Read the full story at Austin American-Statesman

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