LA County K-9s get new bullet-proof vest with better protection – NBC Los Angeles

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Friday that it is equipping its K-9s with new protective gear that will be more comfortable while providing better protection and fuller coverage. 

The current bullet-proof vest for K-9s has been criticized as it tends to constrict the animals from moving comfortably and quickly without providing sufficient protection. Recently, when a Burbank K-9 was shot during a confrontation with a gunman, the dog was wearing a bulletproof vest, but it was not sufficient enough to save his life.

But the sheriff’s department said the new protection gear from AARDVARK Tactical will allow K-9s to move more freely, helping them to do their work better.

“The problem with previous armor systems is that they are heavy. They get in the way. They inhibit the dog’s ability to move, which actually increases the likelihood that the dog’s going to get injured,” said John Becker, CEO of AARDVARK Tactical, adding his K-9 bullet-proof vest works like a human vest.

The new gear is removable, which allows K-9s to take it off if when it’s doing a large search or having to move in a large area. It can be put back on when entering a more dangerous situation, Becker explained. 

For K-9 handlers like Deputy Stephen Williams, being able to adjust the protective gear is a big advantage, which gives him peace of mind.

“Our dogs, they love the work they do. They will do anything they can to protect us and to project the public,” Williams said. “Knowing that they’re as safe as possible when they’re doing that mission to try and protect us is a great feeling.”

Williams said his K-9 partner does not seem to be affected by the new vest, doing his job as well as before while being better protected.

The LA County Sheriff’s Department has been testing the new gear for six months as it became one of the 10 law enforcement agencies in the nation to try it out. 

The company that makes the new K-9 bullet vest said it’s been conducting different tests with the selected K-9 units.

“(We’ve been) doing agility testing, doing bite work, doing search work, throwing them in swimming pools,” Becker said. “We did all kinds of stuff to make sure this was not going to inhibit the dog’s ability to work.”