(KNSI) – A Sartell police dog will be better protected on patrol thanks to a generous donation.
K9 Echo will get his own set of body armor. The bullet and stab-resistant vest comes from the non-profit Vested Interest in K9s. The armor will be embroidered with the sentiment “Born to Love-Trained to Serve-Loyal Always.” The equipment is made in the U.S.A. and custom-fitted. The critical piece of protection will arrive in eight to ten weeks. Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s has provided over 5,700 jackets to K9s in all 50 states. Each vest has a value of $1,800.
K9 Echo and his handler, Officer Curt Grosz, completed their training and certification in May. They started working the streets of Sartell in June. Echo is a dual-purpose pup specializing in tracking, apprehension, and narcotics searches.
They are the second K9 team to join the force after the department restarted the program last year. The other is Kimber and her handler, Officer Kari Bonfield. Kimber is trained as a therapy dog and also finished her training in May.
For more information on the Vested Interest in K9s, click here.
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