Lee County K9, a very good boy, to be outfitted with protective vest

Thanks to the ongoing work of a dedicated non-profit, a Lee County Sheriff's K9 officer soon will be all kitted out with safety equipment.

K9 Deputy Nemo should get his bulletproof and stab-protective vest by early July. The group outfitting Very Good Boy Nemo is familiar to agencies in the area. Vested Interest in K9s Incorporated is based in Massachusetts. It was founded 14 years ago with the mission of providing protective vests and other helpful equipment to dogs of law-enforcement agencies across the nation. There are about 30 thousand K9 officers in the United States. Since 2014, Vested Interest has delivered more than five thousand vests to K9s nationwide, including the Starved Rock region. That's a value of almost seven million dollars, and it's all been made possible by donations.

Each vest is valued at about18 hundred dollars, but you can sponsor one with a donation of about a thousand dollars. Regardless, Vested Interest in K9s accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount.

Click here for more information on the organization.

Award-winning senior reporter and morning news anchor at 103.9 WLPO Radio in La Salle, Illinois