Flint PD Unveils New Bulletproof Vest for K9 Officer

On Thursday afternoon, the Flint Police Department and various community groups unveiled a new bulletproof vest for its newest K9 officer, Edo.

The event was held to thank the members of the community who helped raise the necessary funding for the vest through an online crowd funding effort. Some of the groups participating included Flint Neighborhoods United, Bikes on the Bricks and Back to the Bricks organizations.

The Flint Police Department, which had been without a K9 unit for almost a decade before Edo, said "the outpouring of support from the public was amazing." It took just four days until enough money was raised to meet the financial goal for buying the vest for Edo. K9 units themselves can cost upwards of $10,000 for the initial procurement and training in addition to the $100 per month for ongoing animal care.

Flint Police Chief James Tolbert said the department was not only very luck to have received Edo through donation, but to "have the support of an involved and caring community like we have here in Flint."