PORTSMOUTH, Va. – The Portsmouth Police Department has new gear to protect its K9 officers.
The gift of new ballistic vests for the dogs comes from the Breeden Company, a real estate developer, which is headquartered in Virginia Beach. A spokesperson for the company says the owner, Ramon Breeden, Jr. is an avid supporter of animals.
“We know the dogs are going to work every day protected, so it means a lot to us,” said Christine Gustafson.
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Breeden has pledged $20,000 to each of the following police departments: Portsmouth, Virginia Beach, and Norfolk to be used for K9 gear.
The vests are custom-made to fit each dog.
According to Victoria Varnedo, Public Information Officer for The Portsmouth Police Department, its K9 units supplement uniform patrol on a daily basis, responding to calls for service. K9s will also assist with the location and recovery of narcotics, the detection of explosives, respond with our fugitive apprehension unit, deploy on SWAT situations, assist at crime scenes by locating evidence, and respond to missing persons.
Varnedoe also says the use of a police K9 is also one of the highest, life-preserving options available to the department. In extreme and dangerous situations, a Police K9 can be used to safely and, effectively apprehend suspects that pose a threat to the public and, other officers.
The Portsmouth K9 unit consists of six teams. Each team is a handler and dog that undergo an extensive training process to obtain dual-purpose certifications. This training process usually last 8 months or more. The certifications that each team obtains include a basic patrol certification and a scent discipline, either narcotics or explosive detection. After certification, each team performs maintenance training on a monthly basis, to maintain a standard of proficiency, according to the department.
The K9s and their handlers will be participating in a ceremony Wednesday afternoon. News 3 will be there as Kaiju, Rowdy, Lupi, Ryder, Ace, and Odin show off their skills and their new gear. Check back for more photos and video!
