Sheriff's K9s Receiving Body Armor

Two of the law enforcement dogs belonging to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office will be receiving protective body armor, the sheriff’s office said this week.

K9s Stosh and Utah will receive the bullet- and stab-protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from nonprofit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., and manufacturer Armor Express, as part of the incentive program for which one free vest is awarded for every 15 vests purchased by the charity, the announcement said.

The vests will be embroidered, “In memory of K9 Atos.” K9 Atos was a 5-year-old German Shepherd who was partnered with Officer Christine Casullo and served with the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department. Atos died of cancer on Oct. 12.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c(3) charity located in East Taunton, Mass., 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 nonprofit 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 in K9s, Inc. provided more than 1,600 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, Mich.

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 4-5 pounds. For more information about Vested Interest in K9s, click here.