Neighbors Raise $13K For Sacramento Police K9s
ARDEN (CBS13) — A Sacramento neighborhood pulled together $13,000 to help police officers and their K9s.
On Friday night, neighbors in the Arden area presented local police with a check that will go straight to new gear for the dogs. Sacramento Police rely on charity like this because the city budget doesn't always cover everything.
"He comes home with me every night. He takes care of me and my family and I take care of him, and that's the relationship all of our officers have with these dogs," said Sgt. Josh Dobson, who has a four-legged partner named Jax.
Dobson and Jax are inseparable. Their relationship helps keep people safe in dangerous situations. Jax is trained to patrol and sniff out bombs.
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The $13,000 donated from the Arden neighbors will provide Jax and eight other dogs with some of the best bulletproof vests on the market.
"They're going to be lighter and more comfortable, which increases the performance of the dog and makes sure they can wear them longer," Dobson said.
Evelyn Jensen is one of the neighbors who started this fundraiser. She did so after going through a trauma.
"We got evacuated at four in the morning and we were out all day," she said.
Last December, three criminals decided to lead police on a chase, ditch their car, and hide in the Arden Park area.
"They found the first guy in my backyard at 3:15 in the morning," she said.
Jensen said a quick, yet compassionate response from Sacramento PD and their K9s inspired her to raise this money.
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"They took care of us and they don't get a fair shake. Especially in this environment where everybody is talking down about the police officers," Jensen said.
Jensen said she wants to see more communities in the Sacramento area stepping up for the police. The cost of obtaining and training a police K9 is a lot more than you might think.
Sacramento PD said the dog itself costs $8,000-$12,000. Then the police spend another $10,000 training the dog. Donations from the community help with important extra cost, such as bulletproof vests.
