News : VINTON POLICE DEPARTMENT"�S K-9 GINO TO GET BODY ARMOR

By Captain Eric Dickinson The Vinton Police Department's K9 Gino will receive a bullet and stab resistant protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from the non-profit organization, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Gino's vest will be embroidered with the sentiment "In memory of K9 Ty, California City Police Department"�. K9 Ty died due to complications during surgery to treat injuries received while he and officers attempted to rescue a woman and child being held hostage in a home. Delivery of the vest is expected within eight to ten weeks. Once received, the vest will primarily be worn during high-risk activities such as searches for criminal suspects. "This body armor will give Gino the same level of protection as the rest of our officers,"� said Gino's handler, Senior Police Officer Ben Parmater. K9 Gino and SPO Parmater have proven to be a valuable asset to the Vinton Police Department in the five months they have been on patrol together. The team has made several narcotics arrests, assisted other officers in their own narcotics arrests, and has also been called to assist in searches for a missing person and a suspect who fled from officers on foot. "The Vinton Police K-9 program has been funded entirely through donations from the community and grants from organizations such as Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.,"� said Vinton Police Chief Ted Paxton. "Our K-9 program simply could not exist without the fantastic support of our community and grant organizations."� K9 Gino and SPO Parmater are continuing to grow as a team and will continue to provide a high level of service to Vinton and the surrounding area. 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 2,400 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 2.1 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 $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 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.