Maui Police Department’s K9, Jack, will receive a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.

K9 Jack is assigned to the Maui Police Department’s Special Response Team and is a single-purpose canine. He will be primarily used to track missing persons and as a secondary function assist with locating fleeing suspects.

The K9 vest is sponsored by Marlene Ferko of Bridgeport, CT. Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks.

Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. is a 501c (3) charity located in East Taunton, MA whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the US.

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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 2,400 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a cost of over $2.1 million.

The program is open to dogs actively employed in the US 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 lbs.

Maui police say there is an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the United States.