Another Connecticut State Police Dog has received a bullet and stab protective vest. The K9 named Union has been outfitted with a vest which will be embroidered with the sentiment “In Dogs We Trust, the DeGroat Family.” A charitable donation was made by the Stafford family through the non-profit Vested Interest in K9s Incorporated.
Union has been assigned to Trooper Christopher Porrini for two years and is currently working at Troop A in Southbury. The three-year-year-old German Shepard is trained in all patrol functions including tracking, building searches, evidence recovery, apprehension, obstacles and obedience. Union is also trained in narcotics detection.
The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 partners. Each vest has an average weight of 4-5 pounds and requires a donation of little more than $1,000.
It comes with a five-year warranty.