TRENTON — Legislation that would impose a mandatory five-year jail term on anyone convicted of killing a police dog cleared an Assembly panel on Monday.



Under the bill that cleared the Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee — dubbed "Schultz's Law" — those found guilty of killing a police dog or a dog engaged in a search and rescue operation would receive a mandatory minimum five-year prison term, with no eligibility for parole, and a $15,000 fine. Killing a police or search and rescue dog currently is a third-degree crime and carries penalties of between three to five years in prison and fines of up to $15,000.



Assemblyman Paul Moriarty and state Sen. Fred Madden, both D-Washington Township, introduced the bill in December after Schultz, an on-duty Gloucester Township police dog, was killed by a robbery suspect.



Schultz, a 3 1/2 year-old German shepherd and member of Gloucester's police force was part of a 100-officer manhunt for a robbery suspect. After tracking down the suspect, Schultz latched onto the man's arm. According to police, the suspect then purposely flung the dog into oncoming traffic on Route 42 in an attempt to escape his grip, where Schultz was hit by a passing car and died shortly after.



"Schultz was more than a dog to his community," said Moriarty. "He was a friend, protector and an asset to all law-abiding citizens. This law will ensure he and his fellow K-9 officers have strong protections against those who break society's rules."



