WOODS CROSS—Students at Woods Cross Elementary had a doggone good time on the last day of school when they presented two bullet proof vests to Woods Cross police K9s Loki and Legend. The sixth grade student leadership council raised the money in a variety of ways to pay for the vests.

“When a K9 on the Wasatch Front was killed in 2018 it sparked the idea,” said student council advisor and SEM teacher Britney McNair. “We’ve been working on this for two years. Because of COVID we weren’t able to finish. We got stuck in our tracks. Then when we started back this year we decided to buckle down and get it done.”

The kids raised $1,500 in four days with penny wars, she said. “We got a lot of money from that. But we could only buy one for Legend. We were not really even close. The original vests cost $4,000 so we called the officers and they researched vests throughout the valley and found one that was way, way cheaper. After they told me that we realized we had enough to buy vests for both dogs.”

“We were part of NOVA so we got to meet the dogs,” said sixth-grade student council member Kacey Durtschi. “We had a poster of a dog in the hall with a vest and we’d break off pieces as we raised money. The PTA holds a monthly movie and we sold popcorn, candy and drinks.”

“Give yourselves a hand,” said Sgt. Mike Daugherty K9 Legend’s handler. “You had to work and pinch pennies and the dogs appreciate it. Thanks for helping us out to protect our dogs. Legend can’t clap but he shows his appreciation.” 

Woods Cross Police Chief Chad Soffe said the kids came to him a couple of years ago and asked what the department needed. “I told them about the dogs who go out on patrol and that they needed vests. They were able to raise enough money to purchase the vests.”

It’s a great thing, he said. “The regular vest is working mesh but it wasn’t bullet proof. They’re expensive so this was nice.”

“In this tumultuous time in law enforcement it was a great message to our officers that we do have community support and they want to keep us safe and our dogs safe,” said Assistant Chief Adam Osoro. “This means the world to us.”