Tinley Park Cop Wants Better Compensation For Handling Dog
TINLEY PARK, Ill. (CBS) -- A Tinley Park police officer is suing the village for all the overtime he says he spends with his canine partner – while off-duty.
As WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports, Tinley Park K9 Officer Bob Diorio gets an extra $2,000 on top of his salary of $83,000 to care for Thor, a police dog he takes home every night. Diorio is also reimbursed for dog food and supplies, the SouthtownStar reported.
LISTEN: WBBM Newsradio's Mike Krauser reports
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Still, an attorney for Diorio says his client is not being adequately compensated for all the time he spends on his own grooming, feeding, training and walking Thor, the SouthtownStar reports.
Diorio has been the dog's handler for about five years, the newspaper reports.
Diorio's lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in late September, and alleges violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act. It will be heard by federal Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow.
The SouthtownStar says police department policies concerning K9 officers are all over the map, with some paying just expenses, and others paying more the $2,000 stipend Diorio receives for the care of Thor.
