Mantua – Last Friday, kids from Crestwood Local Schools summer program received the special opportunity for a personal meet-and-greet with a local celebrity — Hiram Police Department’s K9 Guapo. Although Guapo has been on duty since this spring, this was the first chance the crime-fighting K9 has had to meet with a large group of his best supporters — children in the community.
These kids had the awesome the opportunity to meet the purebred German Shepherd from the Czech Republic who recently celebrated his second birthday. That morning, they had the chance to see K9 Guapo and his partner, Corporal Devin Brown in action as the pair gave the kids a demo of some of the skills the team has honed since being united this past winter. Guapo is first K-9 of the Hiram Police Department.
In addition to an exciting Demo Day with the kids, Guapo will also be receiving a bullet and stab protective vest thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. The non-profit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with this potentially lifesaving body armor for their four-legged K9 officers. Since its inception in 2009, Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. provided over 3,400 protective vests, in 50 states, through private and corporate donations, at a value of $5.7 million dollars. K9 Guapo’s vest was made possible to the Hiram Police Department through a fundraiser and will be embroidered with the phrase, “Born to Love-Trained to Serve-Loyal Always”. Guapo will receive his protective vest soon.
Lastly, the K9 program was pleased to receive window tinting for the K9 vehicle from Middlefield-based Xtreme Customs. Guapo’s partner, Corporal Brown thanked Xtreme Customs for their hard work and support of the Hiram K9 program.
