Photo Courtesy of Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Social Media

Recently, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office announced they received a donation of body armor for their K9 Unit. K9 Kalo will be outfitted with a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a contribution from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s Incorporated. The vest is in memory of K9 Hobbs with Des Moines law enforcement and will be embroidered with the phrase “In memory of K9 Hobbs, Des Moines, IA-EOW 12/12/23” Delivery will happen in early fall.

Vested Interest was established in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) charity with a mission to provide protective equipment and assistance to dogs in law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The vest Kalo receives is custom fitted and NIJ certified. Each vest costs $985, weighs 4-5 pounds and comes with a five-year warranty. They have donated more 5,700 vests totaling nearly $7 million. You can make a contribution by visiting www.vik9s.org.