Students Raise Money for K9 Vests

Two K9s at the Newport Beach Police Department now have stab and bullet-proof vests, thanks to the efforts of some students at Corona del Mar High School.

CDMHS freshman Jenny Conde, who started the Vest-A-Dog OC club at the school last October, has worked with club members to raise money for the vests. At Tuesday night's Newport Beach City Council meeting, Conde told the council the club raised enough money to buy vests for Newport K9 officers Elko and Jardo, who work alongside Officer Mike Fletcher and Officer Roland Stucken.

"Police K9 officers face the same, if not greater risks than the human officers face in performing their duties. They are often sent to investigate either alone or ahead of their human partners," Conde said.

Each vest costs between $1,200 - $1,800. In addition to being stab and bullet-proof, they have an infrared light which allows the officers and helicopters to track where the K9s are located if they are searching separately.

"What you did is absolutely tremendous," Police Chief Jay Johnson told the students. "We appreciate the extra protection for our dogs.”

Conde thanked Councilwoman Leslie Daigle for her $500 donation, and local businesses including the Corona del Mar Animal Hospital, Just Food for Dogs and Top Dog Barkery for their support. The student club also sold See's Candies and held other fundraisers to generate enough money for the K9 vests.

Mayor Keith Curry thanked the student club and called their efforts a "great accomplishment."

"This reflects what great kids we have in Newport Beach and what marvelous entrepreneurs they are," Curry said.

The mission of Vest-A-Dog OC is to provide a vest for every police dog in Orange County.

For more information about the club or to sponsor a Vest-A-Dog, visit vestadogoc.wix.com/cdmhs.

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