Darke County Sheriff’s Office K9 Britta to get body armor

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DARKE COUNTY – Darke County Sheriff’s Office K9 Britta will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

K9 Britta’s vest is sponsored by a memorial donation to honor the late Donnie Buff of Powhatan Point, Ohio and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of S.W.A.T. Officer Don Buff”. Delivery is expected within eight to 10 weeks.

K9 Britta has been working as a State Certified Dual Purpose Police K9 with the Darke County Sheriff’s Office since November 2015. In April 2016 Britta also earned her National Certification as a Dual Purpose Police K9 through the North American Police Work Dog Association.

While working for the Sheriff’s Office, Britta has successfully assisted Deputies and other local law enforcement officers in locating drugs and drug paraphernalia. She has been called upon multiple times in high risk situations and for tracking suspects.

“Britta is a great resource to have within the Darke County Sheriff’s Office and is proud to have her on board!” said Sheriff Toby L. Spencer.

Sheriff Spencer would also like to thank Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. for their support in taking steps to protect such a valuable asset as K9 Britta.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, Massachusetts 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 1,800 protective vests, in 49 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over 1.6 million dollars. All vests are custom made in the USA by Armor Express in Central Lake, Michigan.

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. Each vest has a value between $1,795 – $2,234 and a five-year warranty, and an average weight of 4-5 pounds. There are 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.

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