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Florence Police Department K9 gets protective vest, thanks to donation from non-profit


Florence Police Department’s K9, Det, has received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

florence-k-9-detA donation in the amount of $65,825 was presented to the charity from the “Help Officer Hickey Vest K9s” online fundraiser. The funds were raised through nationwide donations in efforts to help retired Officer Matt Hickey of Marietta, Ohio, keep his partner, Ajax upon retirement.

Officer Hickey was able to purchase Ajax for the sum of $1 and the balance was donated to Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The organization will be providing 62 law enforcement dogs with vests thanks to the generous donation.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c(3) charity located in East Taunton, Massachusetts, 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 2.000 protective vests, in 50 states through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.7 million dollars. All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, Michigan.

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 $1,050. Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234, 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, call 508-824-6978.

Florence Police Department

 


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