Dallas County commissioners on Tuesday rejected a constable's request to keep his drug-sniffing dog, one week after voting in the dog's favor.

"That's a piece of equipment we don't get to use. It's a shame and there's no reason for it because it wouldn't have cost the county a penny," said Precinct 3 Constable Ben Adamcik. "Everything they asked me to do, I did."

A new county policy required Adamcik to seek commissioners' permission before deploying his police dog, Athos.

Adamcik drafted an extensive canine policy modeled after the sheriff's dog policy, and he agreed to buy liability insurance for the dog in his attempt to save his one-man canine unit.

Adamcik inherited the dog when its handler, Deputy Matthew Rollins, went to work for him after leaving another precinct over a dispute involving the canine unit.

Last week, commissioners voted against a provision that would have prohibited Adamcik from using the dog. That required a vote on Tuesday to formally approve the dog. But a couple of votes changed.

Commissioner John Wiley Price – who was against the dog, then for the dog, then against the dog – said he made his final decision based on further consideration and discussions.

"We've got bigger things to worry about than a dog," Price said after last week's vote.

On Tuesday there was no discussion before the vote.

Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield abstained from voting last week, saying he didn't have a chance to speak with Adamcik about the matter. Mayfield said he spoke with Adamcik by phone on Monday and told him he wasn't going to support his request to keep the dog.

Mayfield said he doesn't think Adamcik needs the dog. He also said he did not have any confidence in Rollins, the dog's handler.

He said his decision was influenced by Rollins' testimony during a recent civil service hearing on an unrelated matter.

Mayfield also said he felt Rollins should not have won a lawsuit the deputy filed against the county that awarded him back pay for caring for a police dog when he worked for Precinct 2 Constable Michard Gothard.

The commissioner said the lawsuit was based on a bogus claim.

Commissioners were unhappy about having to pay Rollins $56,000 – the amount of the October judgment. They also said a dog could bring unnecessary liability.

But County Judge Jim Foster and Commissioner Maurine Dickey supported the dog, saying it would help fight crime and bring in drug-forfeiture money.

Adamcik said he will explore his options before taking any further action. He has said that as long as he pays for the dog's care, training and equipment with his own forfeiture money, he should be able to keep the dog regardless of commissioner approval.