Sheriff’s Office K9 Officers Awarded Free Ballistic Protective Vests

LIVINGSTON COUNTY – The Sheriff’s Office’s K9 officers have been awarded ballistic protective vests by non-profit Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

According to a press release from Livingston County Sheriff Thomas Dougherty, K9s Utah and Oxo have been awarded the vests at no cost to the county.

The vests will be embroidered with the sentiment, “In Memory of K9 Rocco Pittsburgh Bureau of Police.”

“K9 Utah can be found patrolling Livingston County with his partner, Deputy Shawn Whitford, and they are very active in pursuing drug arrests as part of Operation Safe Interstate on I-390,” said Sheriff Dougherty. “K9 Oxo can be found patrolling Livingston County with his partner, Deputy Martin Herkimer, on the midnight shift. This generous donation of the vest will help K9 Utah be safe while he works hard to detect narcotics and protect the residents of Livingston County.”

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 1,546 protective vests, in 49 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.4 million dollars. All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, MI.

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 law enforcement K9 is $1,050. Each vest has a value between $1,795 and $2,234 and a five-year warranty. 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.