K9 receives bulletproof vest in honor of slain trooper

Published 8:04 am Tuesday, September 29, 2015

ANCHORAGE — An Alaska State Trooper K9 named in honor of a trooper killed in Tanana last year is now wearing a special ballistic vest to commemorate his namesake.

KTVA-TV reported that K9 Skippy was given a bullet- and stab-protective vest by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. A special tag on the vest reads “In memory of Sgt. Scott Johnson.”

The 4-year-old Czech Shepherd was named after Johnson, who was shot and killed in Tanana in 2014 along with trooper Gabe Rich. Troopers say the man’s nickname was “Skippy.”

Massachusetts-based Vested Interest donates similar vests to law enforcement dogs throughout the country.

Skippy works with trooper Joshua Rallo on patrol and in drug detection cases in Fairbanks.