NEW CASTLE, Pa. --
The New Castle City Council has voted to suspend an officer whose police dog died for 60 days without pay.
By a vote of 3 to 2, council also ordered Officer James Hoyland to repay the cost of the dog, an estimated $10,000, and said he can no longer serve as a K-9 handler.
Hoyland was not at Wednesday night's meeting.
Hoyland's police dog, Chico, died June 4.
Channel 11 has learned that Hoyland picked up an extra shift that day and left Chico in his police car at the station for nearly four hours while he patrolled for the Housing Authority.
The car was running and the air conditioning was on but the car quit, shut down and the back up cooling system did not work.
Chico died in the hot car.
When police tested the cruiser and the heat sensor system, both worked.
The district attorney is also investigating.
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