[Archived] Alexandria Police Department K9’s Receive Body Armor

For Immediate Release

In February 2016, the Alexandria Police Department announced that K9’s Chance, Gage, XigXag, Trajan, and Zara were to receive ballistic and stab-protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. All five police canines have now received their body armor.

K9 ’s Chance, Gage, and XigXag’s vests were sponsored by the Alexandria Police Foundation and Pamela Verick of Alexandria, VA and are embroidered with the sentiment “In honor of the Alexandria Police Citizen’s Academy”.  K9’s Trajan and Zara’s vests were sponsored by Dr. Michael and Lynda Gordon of Coconut Grove, FL, and are embroidered with the sentiment “In loving memory of Corky Gordon”.

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 1,700 protective vests, in 49 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.6 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 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 $1,050.00. Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234 and a five-year warranty, and an average weight of 4-5 lbs. There are 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.