NEW VESTS TO PROTECT K-9 UNITS

A local animal defense organization is taking a vested interest in
Jonesboro's police dogs.

The group, Arkansans for Animals, was raising funds Friday for the purchase
of canine bullet-resistant vests for the three dogs owned by the Jonesboro
Police Department, Wannda Turner, a member of the organization, said.

Jonesboro Patrolman Rick Davis, one of three dog handlers for the Police
Department, said the canines are used for searches in crisis situations.

"This is a very good deal," Davis said of the organization's plan to
purchase vest for the canines. "It will be added protection for our dogs."

Davis, who has been employed with the Jonesboro Police Department for the
past five years, began working in the K-9 program in December 1998.

"Mec," Davis' K-9 partner, has been on active duty with the JPD since
October 2000. The canine was imported from Budapest, Hungary, in July 2000
through Police Dog Kennels of Holland.

In 2001 Mec and Davis were responsible for the apprehension of 11 suspects
by tracking, apprehension of four fleeing suspects and several drug arrests.

Turner said the protective vest for dogs cost approximately $1,000 each.

"The vests are both bullet- and stab-proof," Turner continued. "They have
interior cooling pockets to help keep the dogs cool in the summer."

The vests will carry the Jonesboro Police Department name on both sides,
Turner said.

Last year, two police dogs were killed in the line of duty in Arkansas,
Turner said.

"We decided we didn't want that to happen to one of Jonesboro's dogs,"
Turner said in explaining why her group had opted to purchase the vests.

To replace a dog, it costs anywhere from $7,500 to $10,000, including training.

Nationwide, police dogs save thousands of man hours each year in the search
for criminal suspects and missing persons. With the use of their special
sense of smell, canines can search the same location for a person in
fractions of the time that a police officer can.

Canines are also a very valuable tool in community relations, Davis said.

"The dogs are often used at schools and other functions as an ambassador of
the police department," Davis explained.

Jonesboro chose German shepherds as their K-9s because the dogs are highly
intelligent, courageous, agile and easy to train, Davis said.

The officer added that the dog is a good tool to use in the apprehension of
suspects because most of the time just the threat of the animal being
turned loose is enough to cause a person to surrender to police.

"Often the sight and sound of the K-9 will help calm a situation and deter
potential violence," Davis added.

The city also has K-9 officers -- "RC," whose partner is Jonesboro
Patrolman John Shipman, and "Aly," whose police partner is Patrolman Bobby
Engle.

RC and Aly, both 2-year-old German shepherds, were imported from Germany
and have worked for the Jonesboro Police Department since November 2001.

Today at 2:30 p.m., Davis will demonstrate the K-9's ability to search for
illegal drugs. The demonstration will take place outside the Jonesboro
PetCo store, located at 1211 South Caraway Road.

PetCo also will donate $500 today toward the purchase of the vests. A
display for donations toward the vest purchases will remain inside the pet
supply store for the next two months.