Duco is a 23 month old Belgian Mallonouis and he also protects and serves with the Chattanooga Police Department.
"They're more than just dogs to us they're our partner, they're our lifestyle. We're with them eight to ten hours a day, go home, go to bed, they get right back in that car with us and come to serve the city of Chattanooga just like we do," said Sgt. Tommy Meeks.
He said out of the ten k-9 officers the department has, only four of them wear vests and Duco is not one of them.
That's where Robin Scott comes in.
"I don't want there to be any dogs without vests, none," said Scott.
Scott is starting a non-profit organizations to raise money so all the Chattanooga Police Department and Hamilton County Sheriff Office K-9s can have bullet proof vests.
"Police dogs are the first ones in a lot of times and we need to be there for them," she said.
Meeks says the vests are very expensive, and even the ones they do have are old and very heavy for the dogs.
"The new style that is coming out that Mrs. Scott is wanting to purchase, they're more light weight, very flexible so your able to maneuver in them. It will give the protection they need plus they wont get over heated," said Meek.
"Each dog that we save is another one that they don't have to spend the money to train, or lose, or morn," Scott said.
Scott is only in the beginning phases of working with the department to get an organizations started.
She said, "We have to prove to the non-profit this is something our community needs and I'm in the process of doing that. So I have to get a lawyer to get involved in this because it has to be done legally."
She's so passionate that she hopes to eventually make the effort state wide, and officers share that passion in making sure that when dogs go into the line of duty, they come back to them. "They just look at it as they're coming to work and having fun with daddy. They don't realize they're coming to work to put their lives on the line," said Meeks.
If you are interested in helping Scott with her efforts she can be reached at 423-838-9157.
