Ventura Police Dogs Suit Up in Bullet-Stopping Vests in the Field

Every day the four-legged officers of the Ventura Police Department face down criminals with little more than a no-nonsense snarl and a powerful bite. They are often first on the scene but largely defenseless when guns are drawn.

On Friday, the odds were evened a bit when the department’s three police dogs were given lightweight doggy vests to deflect bullets and knives.

Felix, Sagus and Ben sat bundled in their new black Kevlar vests, ears perked and noses twitching.

Their handlers say they will have a new peace of mind when sending their dogs into dark buildings or suspect vehicles looking for criminals.

Officers recalled an incident in 1984 when a police dog named Sonny was fatally shot by a kidnapping suspect with a .25-caliber pistol.

The vest, which covers everything but a dog’s head, legs and tail, would have stopped the bullet, they said.

“The dogs are tools, but sometimes you make decisions that you hate to,” said Sgt. George Morris, who heads the canine unit. “The dog is in greater danger than the officer.”

The $500 Kevlar vests stop most bullets and weigh about 7 pounds. The three vests were donated by Hilford Moving and Storage of Ventura, which also lets the police use its warehouse for dog training.

It was during one of these training exercises that company owner Helen Doane, a dog lover who died in August, asked why the dogs had no protection, given their role in the front line of crime fighting.

“My wife, Helen, fell in love with them,” Robert Doane said as he watched the vest-clad dogs pose for pictures. “She asked why they didn’t have vests, and she was told there was no money for vests.”

She immediately donated the money for the equipment.

“She would have been thrilled to see what is happening today,” her husband said.

The dog handlers said suspects who would point a gun at a police officer often seem reluctant to do the same to a dog, but officers weren’t taking any chances.

“They are in the front line, and that’s their job,” canine Officer Tom Mendez said. “But you become attached to them, and they become like family.”

The Simi Valley Police Department uses vests for its dogs, and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department is ordering vests as well, said Beth Lyons, president of the Ventura County Police Dog Foundation.

“The dogs are police officers and should have the same protection as the other officers,” Lyons said. “They can’t carry a gun or anything.”