Hartville Police fundraising for a vest for K-9 Titus

HARTVILLE, Ohio (WJW) – The Hartville Police Department is calling on the community to help protect its police K-9 Titus.

“He is an absolutely excellent drug dog,” Chief Kevin Moore said. “He has a very good nose for narcotics.”

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Now that Titus is fully grown at the age of two, he can be fitted for his police vest that will protect him from stabbings, handgun fire and shrapnel.

The only problem is there is not a budget for equipment with HPD. It’s a donation-driven program.

“We’re actually trying to raise some money for a vest for him,” Moore said. “Because he can go on some high-risk calls. They are the first line. They go in and they help protect the officers and they do it very eagerly, so they don’t worry about their safety. So, we get them as much gear to protect them as possible so that they can keep working the street because they are a big investment to put on the road.”

Titus is used to track missing persons and assists on mutual aid calls in Stark, Summit and Portage Counties.

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The price of the vest is $3,000, and the fundraiser is rapidly gaining steam, moving from just over $1,360 Wednesday morning to more than $2,400 at 5 p.m.

Chief Moore said all donations help reach the goal. Donations are also tax deductible.

“They can send us a check to the Village of Hartville K-9 Program to the Police Department,” Moore said. “It’ll go into that special fund and that’s the only thing that money will be used for.”

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