Bethlehem city police dog

The city of Bethlehem and two of its police dog handlers have settled a federal lawsuit the handlers filed over the cost of caring for the dogs.

The city agreed to pay $19,000 to Sgt. Jack Fliter and $15,000 to Officer Jonathan Issac to resolve their suit that sought $53,000 for their time and costs in caring for police dogs.

Fliter and the police union earlier this week accused the city of using Fliter's dog, Alan, as a political pawn in trying to force a settlement of the lawsuit. The city retired Alan earlier and Fliter claimed city officials then threatened to put Alan in a kennel, despite the city's customary practice of letting retired police dogs live with their handlers.

The agreement ensures that retired dogs will stay with their handlers. Also under the agreement, the city will pay $16,000 in court costs and the police union will pay $3,000.

Canine officers will also receive a flat daily stipend to compensate officers for care of the dogs, a release states. That stipend will equal about a half-hour of the officer's daily pay. Assistant city solicitor Joseph Kelly was not able to immediately provide an estimate of that pay amount.

--Reporting by Pam Lehman, The Morning Call