A K-9 with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has been equipped with a protective vest he can now wear on assignments, the county sheriff confirmed. 

Cumberland County Sheriff Darrell Hodges said Mambo, a Dutch Malinois, received the vest thanks to a donation from Southern Police Equipment, located in Central Virginia.

“It’s like a Kevlar vest for officers,” Hodges said. “It’s to keep the animal safe at all times.”

He said Mambo has been with the department for close to a year, the sole K-9 working with the office. Hodges said Deputy Ryan Bates is Mambo’s handler, or trainer.

Hodges elaborated on the objective of Southern Police Equipment.

“They had a donor who wanted to make sure all K-9s had the bulletproof vests, so they decided to reach out to the departments that didn’t have the resources or funding to be able to provide (them),” Hodges said.

He said the vest would be used any time the K-9 is in service, “especially if we’re doing a search where there is a potential for danger. Of course, we’ll always have it on him.”