A Present from Aquidneck Island to a Good Woonsocket Dog: K-9 Aspen to Receive New Vest

WOONSOCKET, RI—K-9 Aspen, Woonsocket's new police dog, already has a couple of collars, since she started on the job in January. Now, the 3-year-old German Shepherd is going to have body armor to help her collar even more suspects.

An Aquidneck Island family is giving Aspen the new vest, according to Lt. Matthew Ryan. Michael Maroney, of Middletown, made arrangements with Vested Interest, the Massachusetts non-profit that matches police dogs with bullet-proof and stab-proof vests.

Aspen's vest should be delivered withing eight to 10 weeks, the police department said. And it will be embroidered with the message "Donated by the Maroney family & Vested Interest in K9s, Inc."

Courtesy Photo: Woonsocket Police Department

Vested Interest, of East Taunton, Mass., has worked with private donors to outfit more than 2,300 U.S. police dogs, since it started in 2009. All the vests are made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, Mich. To become a donor, people pay $1,050, and the company makes the dog a custom vest worth something between $1,795 and $2,234.

"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," the police said. "New K9 graduates, as well as K9s with expired vests, are eligible to participate."

Aspen is 3, and she was introduced Jan. 31 at the Woonsocket Police Department.

Photo Caption: Aspen, and her handler, K-9 Officer Jason Berthelette met the press on Jan. 31.

Courtesy Photo: Woonsocket P.D.