A valuable member of the University of Montana Police Department recently received important safety equipment. Thanks to a new grant, the department's K9 is now outfitted with lifesaving body armor.
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It will definitely come in handy. K9 Handler Sgt. Rich Zitzka says the four-and-a-half-year-old German Shepherd does security sweeps at stadium events and other campus gatherings.
"It's very important. That's like your partner, and you want to do everything you can to keep her safe," Zitzka told MTN News.
UM Police Chief Brad Giffin agrees.
"Well, it's critical, I mean, not only for the event aspect, but we have a lot of VIPs that come to campus to speak," he said. "And Amira gives us the opportunity to make sure that we've provided every level of security that we can."
The protective vest that Amira wears is made of Kevlar, a lightweight, heat-resistant synthetic fiber that is five times stronger than steel on an equal-weight basis. The vest is designed to protect her from bullets and stabbings, and it's not cheap, with a price tag of $1,800.
"We applied for a grant through Vested Interest in K9s, and we were accepted," Zitzka shared. "They provided a protective vest for her, and it was paid for by Vested Interest and a company that supplied some of the money for it."
"We're not a cash-rich or resource-rich agency, so having someone that steps up to provide that level of financial support for our K9 program is huge," explained Giffin
And that support is for a team member and one of the family.
"Any chief's worst nightmare is to lose a personnel, and she is a part of our team, and it would be not only tragic in that respect, but imagine the handler," Giffin told MTN News. "I mean these K9s are just almost like their own children. They put a lot of time and effort; they become part of their family at home."
Amira is by no means alone when it comes to wearing the body armor. In fact, the nonprofit organization that donated her vest has donated more than 6,500 to K9s all over the country, valued at $6.9 million.
