PETERBOROUGH-Police officers have worn Kevlar vests, helmets, goggles and more for years during high-risk situations and now more and more Police Service Dogs are getting protection as well.
Peterborough Police Service Dog Gryphon was recently seen wearing some of that new gear. Gryphon’s helmet was purchased in 2024 and the goggles in 2023. Officials say Gryphon also has a bullet-proof vest.
“In this case, the helmet, goggles and footwear were purchased by the Service. They protect the dog from weather elements, environmental elements such branches near their eyes and glass if they are clearing a building.” Sandra Dueck, Communications for Peterborough Police told Kawartha 411 News.
It’s a growing trend by police services across the country to protect their canine colleagues.
In 2017 Kelowna RCMP started purchasing protective equipment.
“The protection vests were first acquired and donated to police canines with the Kelowna RCMP in the summer of 2017. Since that time those police service dogs have donned their protective gear, for countless calls for service to perform a multitude of tasks, including tracking criminals and VIP protection duties,” Cpl. Jesse O’Donaghey told Vernon Matters.
Around the same time an anonymous donor officered to buy 18 armoured vests for Toronto Police Service Dogs.
Staff Sgt. James Hung, spokesperson for Toronto Police Dog Services, said the vests would help protect police dogs from offenders wielding sharp objects as well as natural hazards.
“It would provide a layer of protection from knife-wielding suspects, any sharp implements. Even when they are searching a field or ravine, any sharp stumps or twigs, it would provide some protection to their vital organs,” Hung said at the time.
The push began when a couple of police dogs were injured.
A Toronto police dog was injured when he was chasing a machete-wielding suspect in November 2015 during a bust of an alleged gambling ring in North York.
A police dog in Edmonton was stabbed several times by a suspect in 2013 and died of his injuries.
