Anne Arundel K9 Cops to Get Body Armor

MILLERSVILLE, MD — Two Anne Arundel County Police Department canine officers will receive donated vests to protect the highly trained dogs from bullet and stab wounds.

The department says in a news release that the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is providing the vests, valued at more than a thousand dollars each, an which are sponsored by local residents and an animal care facility.

K9 Leo’s vest is sponsored by Carolyn and Dan Matthews of Arnold, while K9 Erby’s vest is sponsored by Dogwood Acres Pet Retreat of Davidsonville. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a charity located in East Taunton, MA , established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies.

The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement dog is $1,050, according to a news release.

K9 Leo is a 2-year-old German Shepherd/Belgian Malinois, that is certified in patrol and narcotics work and is assigned to Corporal Eric Lively. Leo began his formal police training in August 2015 and completed over 400 hours of training. He likes playing fetch, chewing on his Kong and training days.

K9 Erby is a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois certified in patrol and narcotics work assigned to Sgt. Tommy Pleasant. Pleasant has been a handler with the Anne Arundel County Police since 2015.

Erby joined the Anne Arundel County Police Department in May 2015, and completed over 400 hours of training. Erby likes going for walks, playing ball, chewing on her Kong and training days.