Fairfield Police Department K9 Rambo has received a bullet and stab protective vest through a charitable donation from Vested Interest in K9s, Inc., a national non-profit organization dedicated to providing body armor to law enforcement dogs across the country, according to a social media post from the Fairfield Police Department.
The vest was sponsored by Patricia Kelley of Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania, and will be embroidered with the sentiment “In memory of K9 Tyton, Independence, IA – EOW 7/25/25” — a tribute to a fallen K9 officer from Independence, Iowa who died in the line of duty on July 25th, 2025.
The body armor is U.S. made, custom fitted, and National Institute of Justice certified. Each vest has a value of $1,800, weighs an average of four to five pounds, and comes with a five-year warranty.
Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. was established in 2009 as a 501(c)(3) charity with a mission to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to law enforcement dogs throughout the United States. Since its inception, the organization has provided more than 6,631 vests valued at $6.9 million to K9s in all 50 states, made possible by private and corporate donations. There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s across the country.
The program is open to U.S. dogs at least 20 months old that are actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K9s with expired vests are also eligible. A single donation of $1,050 sponsors one vest, and the organization accepts tax-deductible contributions in any amount. For more information or to donate, visit vik9s.org, call 508-824-6978, or mail contributions to P.O. Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718.
