Florida legal term
Police canine in Florida Criminal Law
Current through 2026 Florida legislative session
In Florida criminal law, “Police canine” is a term defined by statute rather than by its everyday meaning. Its statutory definition — quoted verbatim below — controls how the term is applied throughout the Florida criminal code.
What does “Police canine” mean in Florida criminal law?
“Police canine” means any canine, and “police horse” means any horse, that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a law enforcement agency or a correctional agency for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of criminal activity, enforcement of laws, or apprehension of offenders.(b) “Fire canine” means any canine that is owned, or the service of which is employed, by a fire department, a special fire district, or the State Fire Marshal for the principal purpose of aiding in the detection of flammable materials or the investigation of fires.(c) “SAR canine” means any search (Fla. Stat. § 843.19)
Statutes defining or using this term
Charges using this term
Related terms in the same statutes
This reference is informational and is not legal advice.