K-9 Suki receives safety gear

BELLEVUE — Bellevue police recently received a donation for its K-9 officer. Suki is a 2-year-old female Belgian Malinois, and she began working for the department at the end of June. It's the department's first police dog since K-9 Lasso, who retired from duty in February 2022 and passed away this past July. In a social media post, the department wrote that K-9 Suki will receive a bullet- and stab-protective vest from the nonprofit Vested Interest in K-9s, Inc. The group provides custom-fitted bulletproof and stab-protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. K-9 Suki's protective vest is sponsored by Mr. T's Pest Control of Lihue, Hawaii, and will be embroidered with the following: "In honor of Seattle PD, K-9 Jedi EOW 1-5-22." Delivery is expected within eight to 10 weeks. The vests are worth $1,800 and weigh about 4 to 5 pounds. The program is open to all U.S. dogs that are at least 20 months old and actively employed and certified with law enforcement or related agencies. K-9s with expired vests are also eligible to participate, and there are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement K9s throughout the U.S.