Sheriff’s K-9 Unit Recognizes Vest Donors

CREST HAVEN — The July 22 freeholders’ meeting really went to the dogs, not just ordinary dogs, five of Cape May County Sheriff’s K-9 members with their handlers. All the specially-trained German shepherds were properly attired in their ballistic vests.
Two of those protective vests had been donated to the Sheriff’s Department by Cape May County Dog Obedience Training Club and American Legion Post 239, (Aaron Wittkamp Colwell, Inc.) Tuckahoe.
Sheriff Gary Schaffer and Undersheriff Robert Nolan were present with their officers and dogs to thank those who made the donations. Photographs of each group and freeholders were taken to memorialize the occasion.
Schaffer said eight dogs in the unit are cross trained in patrol and scents. When they are fully trained, he placed the value of one dog at $40,000 for what it can do to assist its handler in searching out lost people and sniffing for illicit drugs, bombs and guns.
He mentioned some of the tragic incidents that have happened to police dogs in recent history as the reason why the ballistic vests are important while on patrol.
Schaffer said two other vests had been secured with funds from the Prosecutor’s Office, Homeland Security and SWAT Team forfeiture funds.
K-9 Unit officers present at the ceremony included Sgt. Beth Perednas, Russ Norcross, Jose Gomez, Nolan Harris and Randy Mistic.