St. Cloud K9 gets new body armor thanks to donation

ST. CLOUD, Fla. — St. Cloud Police Department K-9 Koda received a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a donation by national nonprofit.

The custom vest, which can run from $1,700-$2,200, was made possible thanks to Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. a nonprofit that provides bullet and stab protective vests for police K-9 throughout the U.S.

Read: Volusia County Sheriff K-9s recovering after being shot by carjacking suspect, deputies say

Koda’s vest was embroidered with the words “Honoring those who served and sacrificed.”

Read: Family of Kissimmee officer killed in 2017 testifies in sentencing hearing for convicted killer

The St. Cloud Police Department Canine Unit currently includes two dogs which are assigned to handlers who live, work and train together.

Since its inception the program has provided over 4,381 vests to K9s in all 50 states made possible by both private and corporate donations.

The 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.

Read: Deputies: Man fatally shoots self after shooting woman, K-9 in Deltona

There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the U.S.

More information about the program can be found here.

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