The Gilmer County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) is thankful to receive two protective vests for its personnel, although the lifesaving equipment is not fitted for your standard police officer.
Instead, these vests will be worn by two of the department’s K-9s.
The Georgia Police K-9 Foundation, a Statesboro-based nonprofit, will supply the two LOF K-9 Streetfighter Vests with a funding donation from a similar nonprofit, Canine Wounded Heroes.
That organization, which helps police dogs throughout the U.S., contacted the Georgia foundation to help facilitate the donation, confirmed Kyle Briley, the Georgia Police K-9 Foundation’s president and a K-9 handler for the Statesboro Police Department.
The K-9 foundation keeps a list of Georgia police departments who need K-9 vests, Briley noted.
“Our organization is honored to have these two heroes protected through a donation by Kelly Bostick in memory of Richard E. Bostick Jr. It is through generous contributions and support that we are able to make a difference,” said Briley about the funding that made the vest donation possible.
According to information provided by the K-9 foundation, the LOF-brand bullet-resistant vests feature soft body armor and material that will help keep the dogs’ body temperature down and prevent them from becoming exhausted or overheating, which could result from wearing a heavier vest.
The vests are designed to protect a dog’s vital organs during apprehensions that could involve tracking or detaining a fleeing suspect, and they can be worn for entire shifts, according to the K-9 foundation. Briley said each vest costs $1,200.
“(We) could not be more excited knowing we’ve assisted in the protection of our K-9 officers against work-related injuries or worse yet, death,” he added.
The vests will be worn by Novack, a 6-year-old Belgian Malinois, and Milo, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois. Novack has been with Gilmer Sheriff’s Office since 2017 and Milo since 2019.
The two working dogs perform multiple tasks for the department. Both are certified in tracking, narcotics and apprehension, confirmed Melissa Waddell, GCSO administrative assistant.
“They are utilized in search warrants, arrest warrants and detecting illegal narcotics,” she added.
“We ask these four-legged heroes to face situations most people would not,” Briley said.
“K-9s are important in communities by locating and detecting illegal narcotics, as well as engaging in the most dangerous settings (and) dealing with some of the most violent offenders without hesitation. Before attending sporting events, concerts or large functions, explosive detection K-9s sweep the areas to ensure a safer environment for those in attendance”
The local K-9s undergo a minimum of 17 hours of training each month. There are currently four Gilmer deputies trained as K-9 handlers, Waddell noted.
The sheriff’s office also recently welcomed a third police dog, a German Shepard named Arlo, who’s currently awaiting training, she added.
The Georgia Police K-9 Foundation is an all- volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2016. Since then, the foundation has provided protective vests for 112 police K-9s in Georgia, along with such safety equipment as heat alarm systems and Narcan naloxone kits that can be used if a K-9 is directly exposed to opioids during a search and seizure.
“Chances are that everyone’s life has been impacted by a K-9 in some manner throughout their life, and they don’t even realize it,” Briley said. Briley said the sheriff’s office should receive the vests within four to six weeks, but supply issues could possibly cause that turnaround to take a little longer.