FORT STOCKTON, Texas — Protecting the streets of Fort Stockton can be a rough job, especially for officers who walk on four legs.
While human officers have all sorts of protection, most K9 officers rely on their more natural coat.
"The dogs are not only with us at all times," K9 Officer Derek Calderon said about his dog companion. "They're also in the vehicle and they're just in as much danger as we are."
Nemo and Fauce are K9 Officers with the Fort Stockton Police Department.
"I've never had the dog fail me," Calderon said about his dog Fauce.
And the job of holding down the fort just got a little safer for these dogs.
"Two of our canine handlers applied for a grant and the grant was awarded where they're going to be receiving ballistic and stab proof body armor for their K9 partners," FSPD Police Chief Ernesto Velasquez said.
The grant was awarded by the non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s.
The custom-made vests have been awarded to over 5,000 other K9 officers in the United States.
"That sounds like a big number," K9 Officer Javier Soto said. "But when you take into account the amount of agencies with dogs that don't have vests, I mean it's very few and far between."
And the two newest ones are right in West Texas. Two West Texas hounds who have put a lot of people in the doghouse.
So let’s just say they’ve definitely earned this treat.
"Their primary focus is drugs," Velasquez said. "So they've assisted in school searches, building searches, searching vehicles on the side of the highway."
The vests not only will improve the dog’s safety, but it’ll also give the handlers more confidence to go into any situation, now that they know for sure their loyal companion will definitely be safe.
"I'm not so much worried about, you know, anything happening to him now with these vests," Calderon said.
And these dogs aren’t just coworkers to Soto and Calderon.
"Being canine officers," Soto said. "You have to develop that bond. [...] You have to know everything about your dog, you need to know when your dog's showing you that needs the restroom when he's sniffing something of interest or when he's actually learning to narcotics."
And while their day job is fighting crime, these dogs are still dogs.
And they’re called “Man’s Best Friend” for a reason.
"He's been with me a little over a year," Calderon said about Fauce. "We have developed a bond with each other. I can't go to work without him. He gets excited and he's ready to go to work with me and if I leave him behind he's trying to get out of his cage because he wants to go with his partner. [...] He doesn't leave my side."
And with this donation, these dogs won’t be leaving their handler’s side for a very long time.
Because with this doggone armor, Nemo and Fauce will continue to be the top dogs of Fort Stockton.
So don’t go barking up the wrong tree.
FSPD expects the K9s to get their armor in eight to 10 weeks.