With the goal of helping to protect police dogs, Assemblyman William Colton (D—Gravesend, Bensonhurst, Bath Beach and Dyker Heights) has introduced legislation that would establish a police canine vest fund to supply police K9s in New York State with soft body ballistic armor vests and other protective equipment.

According to the legislation (A01764), the foundation would also help both state and municipal police departments maintain, repair and replace the equipment.

“Police dogs are often exposed to great danger,” said Assemblyman Colton. “They are often sent into active scenes, such as hostage situations or robberies, ahead of the police officers who respond, and are often at great danger of being shot at and possibly dying in the line of duty. At the same time, many police departments have limited budgets and are unable to afford to equip the dogs with body armor, even though their loss is a devastating blow to the officers who work with them. Making sure they are protected is, quite simply, the right thing to do.”

Beyond the ethical considerations, making sure that police dogs are protected also makes financial sense. Untrained police dogs are valued at between $3,000 and $35,000 apiece; trained ones can be worth $70,000 or more. Training a dog can take four to six months.

According to an article on the Police Law Enforcement Solutions website, 25 K9 officers lost their lives in the line of duty in 2023, nearly half of them because of gunshot wounds or stabbings; the article quotes a source as saying that their deaths might have been prevented had the dogs been wearing body armor.

“These remarkable dogs are vital members of the police force,” the article says, adding, “Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, four-legged officers often lack vital protection when facing dangerous adversaries.”