The vests were donated by a national dog food company.   Six of them – one for each dog – would have cost the department about six thousand dollars.
Elk Grove Police Chief Bob Simmons says too often police dogs are targets of bullet and knife wounds:
 
Any additional safety equipment that they have will save a dog’s life…will clearly help the department and the citizens of Elk Grove.
 
 
And Officer Brian Schopf says he’s glad for the additional protection for his canine partner:
 
They do a lot for keeping us safe.  I can think of several times where he’s gone into areas and caught people, that you know, if he hadn’t been there, I don’t know what the guy would have done.
 
Vests will also be going to other California police departments.  Daly City and Pacifica will be getting theirs next week.