LCSO K-9s receive new vests

LEE COUNTY, Fla. – In early June, Lee County Sheriff’s Patrol K-9 Kilo was working to apprehend a suspect when he was chocked, attacked and knocked out by the criminal. Kilo was not wearing a protective vest, however, that all changed Thursday morning.

Thanks to a generous donation from the Retired Law Enforcement Association, the sheriff’s office received eight ballistic protective vests, custom fitted for each patrol dog, including Kilo. All Lee County Sheriff’s Patrol K-9s now have their own fitted and protective vest.

Protective vests for law enforcement K-9s start at $1,500, a savings the county can now put toward other projects. Since the vests are custom fitted for each dog and over time they wear out, donations like the one made Thursday morning are critical to helping keep these patrol K-9s safe.

The Lee County Sheriff’s Office has more than 25 active K-9s, 13 of them work on patrol serving Lee County every day.