PEABODY — Police K9 Ozzy will receive a new protective vest from a Massachusetts non-profit in honor of the late Officer Henry Breckenridge.
The vest will arrive in the next 8-10 weeks from the East Taunton-based organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.
Vested Interest, through a sponsorship from the Shidler Family and Cathy’s Vests for K9s, donated the gear to help protect Ozzy from bullets and being stabbed while on duty, Peabody Police said in a statement.
The vest will be embroidered with the words “In Honor of Ofc. Henry Breckenridge Badge #609.”
Breckenridge was just 40 years old when he died suddenly July 19 after complications from a non-emergency surgery at Salem Hospital, and was a beloved member of the force. The saying “Be Like Henry” has taken hold in the city since his death.
Other community efforts have come together to honor Breckenridge, including a new inclusive playground that was dedicated in his honor at the West Memorial Elementary School in November.
Ozzy is one of roughly 5,500 K9s from across the country to receive a protective vest from Vested Interest since the organization began in 2009, according to the statement.
Each vest is made in the U.S., is custom fitted, weighs about 4-5 pounds and costs $1,800. They also come with a five-year warranty.
For more information about Vested Interest in K9s, visit https://www.vik9s.org/.