K-9 Noble lays at his handlers' feet. Noble will be receiving his donated ballistic vest soon.
(Lauren Tucker/WTIU News)
When K-9 Noble completed his first successful mission, his reward was a cheeseburger. Being picky, Noble only ate the meat.
The Malinois Shepherd has been working with the Bloomington District of the Indiana State Police for just over a year, sniffing out narcotics and patrolling with his handler Trooper Clay McBride. After a successful and occasionally dangerous year with the police, he’s getting something more substantial than fast food—a ballistic vest.
Police K-9s put their lives on the line every day, yet many lack the protective gear standard for their human counterparts. The nonprofit Vested Interest in K-9s, Inc. is working with law enforcement agencies across the country to change that by donating vests, one dog at a time.
Vested Interest requires dogs to be at least 2 years old so they don’t outgrow their custom-made body armor. After Noble’s birthday, McBride submitted a request for a ballistic vest, and it was granted.
“We've used them for at least 10 years in the department in the canine program,” McBride said. “So, it was just as soon as Noble turned 2, just sending them an email and reaching out.”
Vested Interest has donated nearly 6,000 K-9 ballistic vests nationwide since its founding in 2009. The Massachusetts-based nonprofit also recently provided a vest to Bedford Police K-9 Castiel.
Before the vest, Noble only wore a fabric tracker harness that offered little protection. McBride said the donation brings him some peace of mind.
“We're utilized pretty heavily for the violent, violent crimes, violent calls, violent suspects,” McBride said. “We're kind of the front edge of that when the time comes.”
Gunshot and stab wounds account for over a quarter of police K-9 deaths. In 2023, eight police K-9s died from shootings. In the nine years McBride has been with ISP, he has known one K-9 injured in the line of duty.
Noble’s vest should arrive within the next two months. McBride said he’s sure Noble will be comfortable wearing it on missions.
“It makes me feel great knowing that you know he's protected and able to go out and continue to do his job protected,” McBride said. “It's a relief. I mean, it really is nice to have that comfort.”
