#MIDDLETOWN CT– February 17, 2016 – Connecticut State Police’s K9 Arek and K-9 Union have received their bullet and stab protective vests thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Arek has been assigned to Trooper First Class Matthew Herz for two years and is currently working at Troop H in Hartford. K9 Arek is a four-year-old German shepherd who is trained in all patrol functions including tracking, building earches, evidence recovery, apprehension, obstacles and obedience.
K9 Arek is also trained in narcotics detection. K-9 Arek’s vest was sponsored by a fundraiser hosted by Hairy Barker’s K9 Activity Center of Deep River. K9 Arek’s vest has been embroidered with the sentiment “Safety from Hairy Barker’s K9 Activity Center.” K9 Union has been assigned to Trooper Christopher Porrini for two years and is currently working at Troop A in Southbury. K9 Union is a three-year-year-old German shepherd who is trained in all patrol functions including racking, building searches, evidence recovery, apprehension, obstacles and obedience. K9 Union is also trained in narcotics detection. Union’s vest is sponsored by Beth DeGroat of Stafford. His vest has been embroidered with the sentiment “In Dogs We Trust, the DeGroat Family. 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. has provided more than 1,700 protective vests in 49 states through private and corporate donations at a cost of more than $1.6 million. 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.
