DOVER — Dover Police Department said its K9 Gerome has received a ballistic vest from a nonprofit organization, Vested Interest in K9s Inc., a Massachusetts-based group, and Armor Express, a Michigan-based manufacturer.
Armor Express has an incentive program that for every 15 vests purchased by the charity, a free vest is awarded, authorities said.
Vests were donated to K9s in Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas, South Carolina, Delaware, North Dakota and Arkansas.
Dover Police Department K9 Gerome wears his ballistic vest. K9 Gunner will be wearing the other new donated vest. (Submitted photo/Dover Police Department)
Dover Police Department’s K9 Gunner also received a ballistic via a nonprofit organization, Vested Interest in K9s, and Lynda Gordon of Coconut Grove, Fla., provided $1,050 for K9 Gunner’s vest.
The vest will be embroidered with the sentiment “In loving memory of Corky Gordon,” in honor of her beloved pet that died.
Vested Interest is a 501c(3) charity located in East Taunton, Mass., and whose mission is to provide bullet- and stab-protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States.
The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law-enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers.
Since its inception, Vested Interest has provided more than 1,590 protective vests, in 49 states including Alaska and Hawaii, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of more than $1.5 million. All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, Michigan.
The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 19 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.
The suggested donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $1,050. Each vest has a value between $1,795–$2,234, a five-year warranty and an average weight of 4 to 5 pounds.
An estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s are on duty throughout the United States.
For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, call (508) 824-6978. Vested Interest provides information, lists events and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.