SILVERHILL, Alabama — Less than a year and a half after the purchase of a canine officer for the Silverhill Police Department, the dog has been sold.

Marley, a Labrador retriever, was 4 ½ years old when he was purchased in July of 2014 from Officer Billy Coley, who used the dog with the Loxley Police Department.

After issues surfaced with the way Marley was being handled, a new handler began working with Marley in June. At its Sept. 21 meeting, the council voted to spend up to $3,600 to repair the vehicle used to transport the canine officer, including a complete engine overhaul. The vehicle is still being used by the department, officials said.

Concerns also surfaced about keeping Marley safe following the death of a canine officer in Gulf Shores last year.

At the Silverhill Town Council meeting held Monday, Jan. 4, officials said the officer hired to work with Marley was no longer with the department and because of Marley’s age (canine officers generally retire at about age 8), it was decided that the town would not try to look for another handler and could no longer use the dog.

The council voted Monday to adopt a resolution to surplus the dog “on an ‘as is’ basis.” The dog has since been sold back to its previous owner.

In other business Monday, the council voted to pass a resolution adoption procedures for pre-disciplinary hearings for law enforcement officers.

Under the terms of the resolution, the law enforcement officer would receive written notice of a pre-disciplinary hearing, which would be conducted by the chief of police. If the chief of police is the subject of the disciplinary hearing, then the hearing would be conducted by the town council.

The resolution also set for the procedures for the hearing itself.

A disciplinary hearing between the council and Chief Kim Wasdin was held beginning Monday, Jan. 11. No action was taken following the hearing.

Originally scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 22, the meeting was moved at the request of Wasdin’s attorney.

According to town attorney Josh Myrick, the hearing can be held during a regular meeting or as a special called meeting, and a quorum must be present at the meeting. A quorum means that more than half of the voting body must be present at the meeting. The mayor is included in a quorum if the mayor is a voting member of the body, which is the case in Silverhill.

While the meeting must be called within a public forum, the hearing itself will most likely be held within an executive session, which is a private meeting held within the public meeting for an expressed purpose.