11 PA State Police K-9 dogs receive donation of body armor
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Several four-legged Pennsylvania State Police K-9 officers got an early and life-saving Christmas present thanks to a charitable donation.
Eleven dogs on the force, including K-9 Rom, who helped in the capture of escaped prisoner Danelo Cavalcante, received bullet and stab protective vests.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., a non-profit group established in 2009, is responsible for donating the equipment to the police department.
RELATED: K-9 Rom, who helped in the capture of Danelo Cavalcante, honored at 2023 National Dog Show
The group provides protective gear and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. Since they started, they have provided over 5,000 vests to K-9s in all 50 states at a value of almost $7 million, made possible by both private and corporate donations.
Vested Interest's program is open to U.S. dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K-9s with expired vests can also qualify.
PA State Police says there are about 30,000 law enforcement K-9s throughout the United States.
For more information, or to learn about volunteer opportunities, call 508-824-6978 or check out their website at www.vik9s.org,
The Pennsylvania State Police say their canine section has 25 total canines, which include two trained to detect human remains, six trained to detect explosives, and 17 trained to detect narcotics. Six of the canines are cross-trained in tracking.
So far this year, PSP canines have been utilized over 2,200 times for various searches while assisting federal, state, and local law enforcement.
