‘Jinx’s Law’ creates stricter punishments for cruelty to law enforcement animals

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KXRM) — A new law now in effect makes cruelty to law enforcement animals a class four felony, rising from the previous category of class six felony.

Governor Jared Polis signed HB24-1074 Wednesday at the Capitol, this new measure is named after El Paso County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Jinx who was killed in Manitou Springs on duty in April 2022.

His handler, Ronnie Hancock said that before the law passed there were not strict enough penalties, which is why he and his wife lobbied for action and justice.

“After Jinx’s passing in 2022, my wife had figured out that the laws currently on the books would only have had a misdemeanor charge for the killing of Jinx,” he said.

The new law sets a mandatory minimum fine of $2,000. The person convicted of the charge will also have to pay restitution to rehabilitate or replace the hurt or killed animal.

Hancock says that is not cheap by any means.

“A K-9 could cost the dog itself with the training put on, it could go anywhere from $20,000 to $30,000 just for the dog,” he said. “Then you’re looking at possibly a four-month training academy for that dog, which means you pull me off the street, and then sort of the cost of my salary for that four months is added on.”

Last year another bill was also signed inspired by K-9 Jinx. It laid the patchwork for the most recent bill by setting minimum penalties for second and any subsequent convictions to both animals and service animals, but the bill signed Wednesday is specific for K-9s on duty like Jinx.

His handler says he hopes it inspires other states to take action toward protecting our law enforcement animals.

“I just want to get justice for Jinx and I want to make sure that any handlers in the future if their dogs happen to get injured or killed, that they don’t have to go through the same pain of thinking that they didn’t get what they think they deserved for their partner because all the handlers do look at our dogs as our partners,” he said.

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