HPD K9 Gets Body Armor Donation

From Hillsboro Police Department: Hillsboro Police Department’s K9 Dozer received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The vest was provided by an anonymous sponsor and embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of Chicken, Miss Kitty and K9 Billy."

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c(3) charity located in East Taunton, MA 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 in K9s, Inc. provided over 3,000 protective vests in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a value of $5.7 million dollars.

The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age. New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate.

The donation to provide one protective vest for a law enforcement K9 is $950.00. Each vest has a value between $1,744 – $2,283, and a five-year warranty and an average weight of 4-5 lbs.

There is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States. For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, please call 508-824-6978.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. 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.

K9 Dozer was born in The Netherlands on January 4, 2016, and he joined the Hillsboro Police Department in June, 2017.

Dozer is partnered with Officer Denise Lemen, and he is trained to locate human odor through tracking, building searches, evidence recovery and handler protection.

K9 Dozer's vest will honor the memory of K9 Billy, who died in the line of duty on December 4, 2017.

Images via Hillsboro Police Department