Community Corner

Residents Raise Enough For Police Dogs' Bullet-Resistant Vests

Officers thank donors for helping make Meriden Police's new K-9 unit safer.

 

A city-wide effort to vests for Meriden's has netted more than $6,000 – and ensured better protection for the pups, officers said this January. 

To all those who donated, "Thank you," said Officer David Buck, the handler of one of the dogs, Anouke. "Without it we wouldn’t have been able to get (the vest) and Anouke’s going to to be able to do her job safer."

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The funds are enough to outfit both Anouke and Kilo, the German Shephards that make up the city's newly reintroduced K-9 unit, with custom-fit "K-9 Storm Vests." All-in, the vests cost about $2,400 each, and the extra funds raised will go to any sort of training items the dogs may need, Buck said. 

Anouke already has her vest, and Kilo's is on order, according to the handlers. The dogs won't wear the vests the entire time they're working, Buck said. They will be put on in "high-risk situations" where there's a chance the dog could be shot.

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Police and the city together began the drive in August, and received donations large and small, from adults and children alike – like the Rios children of South Meriden in August, after hearing of the drive. About 30 donors gave $100 or more, according to Eddie Siebert from the Mayor's Office, and received a german shepherd-shaped plaque.

In their first year, the dogs have already helped police make major gains.

Anouke started active duty with Buck in July 2011, and Kilo officially began this November, with her handler Officer Jason DeGumbia. In that time the dogs have tracked stolen cars, suspects in robberies, assaults, car accidents, and burglaries, sniffed out various drugs, and found runaways.

From July 2011 to Dec. 2011, Anouke has helped officers locate five suspects, find six missing persons or runaways, locate 150 grams of various drugs, and arrest 22 suspects, according to statistics Buck provided.

Kilo, according to DeGumbia, in her three months, has sniffed out marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, and firearms, and following a , located the sneakers, ski mask and sweatshirt about 75 yards away from the scene and charged with the robbery.


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