Vest for Brodie

June, 2009

We Got It!

Thanks to all the help we received from the students and staff of USD 246, the community of Arma, and everyone who heard about our efforts through KRPS radio, the fifth graders at Northeast Elementary School were recently able to purchase a bulletproof and stab proof vest for the Pittsburg Police Department’s K-9 Officer, Brodie!

The vest arrived just a few days before school was dismissed, so students were able to take a close-up look at it before they left. Unfortunately, Officer Noga was out of town, so Brodie wasn’t able to receive the vest in person. He’ll be here as soon as school starts back up, though, to proudly model his new uniform for all to see. In the meantime, the kids insisted Brodie have the protection of the vest over the summer, so they sent it over for him to wear as soon as he and Officer Noga are back on duty.

As for us, the Brodie Project has been a terrific learning experience for everyone involved. It is incredibly empowering when a young person realizes they don’t have to be big to do big things. Devan Gillis, who started the project, and her classmates, who gave their best efforts to make the project a success, should be very proud of all they have accomplished.

April, 2009
HELP BUY BRODIE
A BULLETPROOF VEST

Northeast Elementary School’s fifth graders have taken on a BIG project – collecting $800-$1200 to buy a bulletproof and stab proof vest for the Pittsburg Police Department’s K-9 Officer Brodie. We think he’s worth it.

The project was started by fifth grader Devan Gillis. She suggested the bulletproof vest project as the annual Christmas community service project in Mrs. Miller’s class. Her classmates and teacher agreed it was a great idea. When Brodie, along with his partner Officer Joe Noga, visited our school, the entire fifth grade fell in love. There was no way around it. Brodie had to have that vest! We couldn’t let anything bad happen to our new friend.

Then the project began to grow. And grow. And grow! School Resource Officer Chris Wilson agreed to help out. The Northeast Elementary Parent/Teacher Organization joined in. Junior high students didn’t want to be left out. Community members even began calling the school asking how they can help! We’ve already collected over $350, and we have even bigger plans for the future. Next week, Devan’s going to be interviewed by Nikki Patrick for an article in the Morning Sun, and that’s just the beginning!

A few people have asked us why anyone would bother buying a bulletproof vest for a dog. Well, that’s a no-brainer for us. We want to make sure Brodie lives a long, happy, healthy life just because we love him. But there are practical reasons as well.

Police dogs are an important part of the crime prevention force in our community, and K-9 officers, like human officers, deserve protection. The vests also offer peace of mind to law enforcement officers, whose job it is to protect both themselves and their K-9 partners, but it can be very expensive to purchase and train a K-9 officer – up to $15,000.