With Donation, All 12 St. Pete Police K9s Will Have Body Armor

ST. PETERSBURG, FL -- St. Petersburg Police K9 Darth may not be faster than a speeding bullet or more powerful locomotive. But, like Superman, he will soon be bulletproof.-- well, kind of.

On Thursday, Sep. 13, an anonymous donor financed a K9 protective vest for Darth through the nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s Inc.. Darth is the last of the St. Petersburg Police's 12 K9s to receive a protective vest. Darth's vest, which will arrive in eight to 10 weeks, will be embroidered with the sentiment, "Honoring those who served and sacrificed."

Darth's handler, Officer Kevin Vater, is relieved that Darth will be protected with body armor.

In active crime situations, K9s are often the first line of defense. They enter a crime scene first to subdue criminals which may be armed with guns or knives.

While the body armor doesn't cover the dog's entire body, it protects the dog's torso and vital organs that are most vulnerable to attack.

In July, a K9 named Zero with the Oahu, Hawaii, police required surgery after being stabbed several times in the torso with an arrow.

K9 Hemi wasn't quite so lucky. That same month the K9 with the Arkansas State Police pursued a man who had been involved in a gunfight with troopers. They later found Hemi's body in the woods with multiple gunshots to his torso.

Zero and Hemi's lack of body armor wasn't due to a lack of concern by their departments. It's the cost that prevents all of the estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s in the United States from getting vests.

The K9 vests are valued at $1,744 to $2,283. Vested Interest in K9s offers the vests for $950.

However, even that price is beyond the budgets of many law enforcement agencies. The St. Peterburg Police and surrounding agencies depend on donations to Vested Interest in K9s to fund vests for its dogs.

Vested Interest in K9s has provided 3,140 protective vests to K9s since its founding in 2009.

Images via St. Pete Police

K9 Darth and Deputy Kevin Vater

St. Pete Police K9 Ruger shows off his body armor.