Donation Provides New Hope Police K9 Special Body Armor

New Hope Police Department’s K9 Dex has new gear meant to protect him from bullets and knives. Stitched on Dex’s new body armor are the words ‘In memory of K9 Haas, Duluth Police Department, MN.’

New Hope Police K9 Dex

Haas was the police dog that was shot and killed by a domestic assault suspect in Duluth last year.

The protective vest donation came from nonprofit Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The organization has supplied New Hope police dogs with vests in the last few years.

“Just last year, one of the vests supplied by this donor did protect one of our K9s from a knife attack,” said Capt. Scott Slawson. “They’re very valuable.”

Capt. Slawson is referring to Cody, who is still part of the New Hope police force.

“K9s are able to smell and track, find missing people. Track for articles and evidence along a certain path,” explained Slawson. “They’re also good for apprehension, they can run a little faster than we can. They’re very valuable and make us overall more efficient.”

To receive body armor from Vested Interest in K9s, Slawson said the department had to apply for a grant. 

Each body armor has a value between $1,700 to $2,300, weighs an average of 4 to 5 pounds and comes with a five-year warranty. So far, the non-=profit has provided nearly 4,000 protective vests to police dogs in all 50 sates. 

New Hope