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Taking the "bite" out of crime
Donation pays for special bite suit for police department.
BY KEN KOSKY
This story ran on
nwitimes.com on Wednesday, December 8, 2004 12:21 AM CST
VALPARAISO | Police dogs need to practice attacks so they'll be
ready if they ever need to take down a criminal.
Canines at the Porter County Sheriff's Department can get all the
practice they need now that a full-body bite suit worth $2,000 has
been donated to the department. The suit, which cannot be penetrated
by a dog's teeth, can be worn by someone playing the role of the
criminal during canine training. The funding for the suit came
from Kankakee Valley REMC's Operation Round-Up. About 70 percent of
the utility's customers agree to have their utility bills rounded up
to the next dollar each month, and that money goes to fund projects
for police departments, fire departments, schools and civic
organizations. A full-body bite suit worth $2,000 has been donated
to the department. The suit, which cannot be penetrated by a dog's
teeth, can be worn by someone playing the role of the criminal
during canine training.
The funding for the suit came from Kankakee Valley REMC's Operation
Round-Up. About 70 percent of the utility's customers agree to have
their utility bills rounded up to the next dollar each month, and
that money goes to fund projects for police departments, fire
departments, schools and civic organizations. Since Operation
Round-Up began in 2000, more than $100,000 has been returned to the
counties REMC serves, said Amanda Leek, Operation Round-Up
coordinator. Leek was on hand Tuesday to officially make the
donation, and she got to see police officers Larry LaFlower and Matt
Edwards unleash their dogs on the man in the bite suit, jail officer
Josh Dobson. "It is reassuring to know we've got the generous
support of ... the community," said David Lain, sheriff's department
chief deputy . Lain said the donation will allow the officers
to train their dogs so if there is ever a dangerous situation, the
dogs "may be able to prevent injury to an officer."
Jail Officer Josh Dobson
K9
Bandit
K9
Aslan (Right)
Training bites back at Porter County crime
Dec. 8, 2004
By Frank Wiget/Post Tribuen staff writer
Jail officer Joshua Dobson walked
away without a scratch after two German shepherds attacked him
Tuesday morning. He was demonstrating the
effectiveness of the Porter County Sheriff’s Department’s new K-9
bite suit, which allows dog handlers to train the animals without
suffering injuries. Dobson, in his second week at the
county jail, was fitted with heavy black, thickly insulated pants
and a red jacket, also heavily insulated. For added protection, he had plastic
covers over both hands. “I didn’t feel a thing,” he said
after canine handlers pulled their patrol dogs off him. County officer Larry LaFlower sent
Aslan, his 3-year-old canine, after Dobson, portraying an offender. Officer Matt Edwards also let
2-year-old Bandit loose to attack the jailer in the county police
training room. They were demonstrating Ray Allen
Professional K-9 Equipment. The suit cost about $2,000 and was
purchased with a grant from Kankakee Valley Rural Electric
Membership Corp.’s Operation Roundup program. Amanda Leek, Operation Roundup
coordinator, said the program’s board of directors meets four times
a year to review grant applications and decide who will get how
much. Grants are to police and fire
departments, schools and other public agencies. Awards range from $500 to $2,500,
with at least one of $4,500, she said. Leek said Operation Roundup also
provided a similar grant to the Valparaiso Police Department for
protective vests for two officers who are members of the Porter
County S.W.A.T. team. The utility provides electric service
to portions of Porter, Lake, LaPorte, Pulaski, Starke and Marshall
counties, she said. The Sheriff’s Department also has two
bloodhounds, Sam and Josie, who work with Sgt. Charlie Douthett. LaFlower applied to Operation Roundup
for the grant for the dog bite suit. He said the one the department used
was showing its age and had some holes in it. |
