“The donation is a great asset to us,” Northampton County Sheriff’s Office Captain Patrick Jacobs said. “It will give benefit to the canine that’s needed.”
Tommy is a 2-year-old Dutch shepherd, trained in narcotics detection tracking and criminal apprehension.
Hamm and Tommy trained at Ventosa Kennels in Scotland Neck, completing the program last September.

(For more information or to learn about volunteer opportunities, call 508-824-6978. Vested Interest in K9s provides information, lists events, and accepts tax-deductible donations of any denomination at www.vik9s.org or mailed to P.O. Box 9 East Taunton, MA 02718)

The vest Tommy will receive is inscribed with embroidery “In honor of Tommy Rudowicz, to protect this K9 hero.”
Delivery is expected within eight to 10 weeks.
Vested Interest in K9s is a charity located in East Taunton, Massachusetts, whose mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States.
The nonprofit was established in 2009 to assist law enforcement agencies with potentially life-saving body armor.
Since its inception, Vested Interest in K9s has provided more than 2,400 protective vests in 50 states through private and corporate donations at a cost of more than $2.1 million.
The program is open to dogs actively employed in the United States with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age.
The donation to provide one protective vest is $1,050.
Each vest has a value between $1,795 to $2,234, a five-year warranty, and an average weight of four to five pounds.
There are an estimated 30,000 law enforcement dogs throughout the United States.