BPD Presented with Bulletproof Dog Vest

BRADENTON -- The Retired Law Enforcement Association of Southwest Florida presented the Bradenton Police Department with a bullet and stab re­sistant vest for police dogs last week.

The vest will be worn by Blitz, the department’s K-9, who is pictured at left with his handler, Master Patrol Officer Jeanine Pease.

The association raises money to buy vests for police dogs. These vests retail for about $1,500 and have been one of the first items eliminated from budgets because of the recession, accord­ing to the association.

The purchase of this vest was made possible by the generous donation from Tom and Laura Bunyon from Port Charlotte, who agreed with their family members in Atlanta that they’d use their money allotted for Christmas gifts for each other on a K-9 vest instead.

....