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Sep 25, 2006 9:01 pm US/Central
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New Vest Could Be Life-Saver For Canine
Vest Protects Police Dogs From Bullets, Stab Wounds
by Katie McCall
EVANSTON (CBS) ―
Jack got a new suit today.
This is news because Jack is a German Sheppard and the suit could be a lifesaver.
CBS 2 North Suburban Bureau Chief Katie McCall reports Jack has been with the Evanston Police Department for just 3 months, and the officers hope with this new vest he'll be around for a long time.
He is one of Evanston's finest, but until now Jack, the only K-9 officer with the Evanston Police Department, was vulnerable to the bad guys.
Unlike his human colleagues, Jack did not have a bullet-proof vest.
"He's a police officer just like I am and we all enter situations that are dangerous to ourselves. And there's no reason why he shouldn't have the same protections I'm afforded," said Officer Ted Schienbein.
Today that changed. Thanks to the Illinois Vest-A-Dog program, Jack will be much safer on the streets. A special $825 vest made of Kevlar -- the same material used for the human version -- is now fitted just for him.
Illinois Vest-A-Dog sells bandanas to raise money for the vests and so far has outfitted 180 police dogs across the state.
"Our goal is to vest every dog in the state," said Xavier Harrison with Illinois Vest-A-Dog
His partner says it is well-deserved since just like the two-legged officers Jack puts his life on the line every day.
"He's the best of the best. I wouldn't pick a different partner," Schienbein said.
Jack was a gift to the department from an anonymous donor and Northwestern University.
In addition to protecting him from bullets, the vest can also resist a knife if someone tried to stab him.
(CBS 2 and the Northwest Herald are news partners covering stories in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. If you know of stories happening in this region, contact us.)