IMPD receives $65,000 for police dog vests

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Police dogs at Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department will have some extra protection soon.

The group Spikes K9 Fund is outfitting every police dog with a ballistic vest.

Former special forces officer James Hatch started the group after a police dog gave its life saving his. IMPD chief Bryan Roach said this is an opportunity to protect agents often overlooked.

“We do a very good job I think of equipping and providing for the safety of our officers, but oftentimes our K9s are looked at as tools and I don’t know that we provide the kind of safety that we should, so this is a great opportunity and we as a police department are so appreciative of Spikes K9 Fund.”

The founder of Spikes K9 Fund said he was a dog handler overseas. He says he lost several dogs in combat and now dedicates his life to protect those serving at home.

IMPD received a $65,000 donation to go toward putting all 25 IMPD police dogs in tactical vests.

The announcement took place Friday morning at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, where the dogs were fitted with the vests.

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