Lebanon Police Department’s K9 Nitro will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Nitro’s vest is sponsored by a fundraiser hosted by K-9 Kidz LLC and will be embroidered with the sentiment “Honoring those who served and sacrificed.” Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.
K9 Nitro joined the Lebanon Police Department K9 Unit in November 2018. He is partnered with K9 Officer Nicholas Alden. Officer Alden and K9 Nitro graduated the 42nd Drug Detection Course through the Vermont Police Canine Academy in February 2019 and graduated the Vermont Police Canine Association’s 39th K9 Patrol & Evidence School and the 2019 K9 Tracking & Evidence School in November 2019. K9 Nitro is a male German Shepherd purchased from Hop River Shepherds in Connecticut. To learn more about the Lebanon Police Department’s K9 Teams, please visit the Police Department’s website.
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 3,500 U.S. made, custom fitted, NIJ certified protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a value of $6.9 million dollars.
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 $950.00. Each vest has a value between $1,744 – $2,283 and 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 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.