Police dogs get protection

2002-09-17 00:41

Lizel Steenkamp

Johannesburg - Police dogs on the Northeast Rand now weigh 2kg more; not because they eat so well but because of the new bullet-proof vests that have been strapped on over their hairy bodies and chests.

Bullet, a friendly Rottweiler, and Asterix, a very hot-tempered German shepherd, usually scent out explosives. They had the first fitting of their new kit on Monday. They were very shy and cautious at first but soon got frisky with wagging tails and open-mouthed smiles.

The Jeppe High School for Girls and the Benoni Cub Pack have donated three bullet-proof vests worth R2 500 each to the Northeast Rand dog unit in Benoni.

The vests, made from Kevlar - a very expensive imported thread - offer protection against pistols, revolvers and knives. Ansie Atterbury, sales manager of Ballistic Body Armour in Germiston, says the bullet-proof vests for dogs consist of 25 layers of fabric. "A 9mm bullet does not penetrate further than the fifth layer."

Improving work capacity by 50%

The company is the only manufacturer of these vests in South Africa and supplied the first to the police dog units at Port Shepstone in KwaZulu-Natal and the Johannesburg Airport.

Officials are very grateful for the vests. "There are places where we cannot use the dogs because the criminals are armed. Then I just go in alone. The bullet-proof vests will help to improve the dogs' work capacity by at least 50%," Inspector Josh Strydom, Bullet's handler, said on Monday.

He said the dogs would not have much of a problem working with the extra weight. "They will soon get used to it. Bullet weighs 55kg, he won't even feel another 2kg."

Sergeant Conrad van Rooyen, Asterix's handler, believes the dog can be dressed in the vest within seconds at a dangerous scene, and the vest doesn't have to be worn for 10 hour shifts.

Adri Botha, spokesperson for the Northeast Rand dog unit, says the three vests would be rotated among the 20 dogs and their masters. The vests cover the dog's back, shoulders, abdomen and chest, as well as the most important organs.

- Beeld