Mysterious benefactor in-vests in police dogs

Anonymous donation will provide 18 vests to K9 unit

It’s not often that a Toronto police dog gets hurt on duty, but a 2015 incident has prompted an anonymous corporation to donate 18 protective vests to the K9 unit.

The donation needs to be approved by the police board at its meeting Thursday. According to the agenda, the donor wishes to provide $22,326.20 worth of protective vests, meant to make the jobs of the 33 dogs in the service safer.

In a memo from police Chief Mark Saunders, the donor felt compelled to provide vests after hearing about Lonca, a Toronto police dog injured by a suspect with a knife in 2015.

“Lonca was slashed in the lip and paw. He received five stitches and was back to work after a week,” James Hung, the staff sergeant in the K9 unit, told the Star.

The memo also cited an incident in 2013 in Edmonton in which a police dog was killed by someone wielding a knife.

“Canines are deployed for their search capabilities . . . suspects, victims, missing persons as well as illegal substances,” Hung said. “Similar to the Kevlar vests issued to officers, they offer a layer of protection to protect their vital organs.”

Hung said injuries to the police dogs don’t happen “very often luckily . . . I may have one canine a month have to go to the vets for minor things.”

Saunders expressed support for the donation in his memo.

“Our K9s are valued members and fulfil an integral role in our delivery of service to the citizens of Toronto,” he wrote. “It is only appropriate that we provide them with the necessary equipment to protect them from harm.”