The group's president said people understand the importance of protecting police K-9's.
WEST LONG BRANCH - Monmouth University's Alpha Phi Sigma's Criminal Justice Honor Society kicked off its fifth annual Paws for a Cause charity event on Wednesday. The event helps raise funds for a K-9 bulletproof vest for one of the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office K-9's.
The Monmouth County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit has seven handlers and eight dogs. The dogs are each trained in specific areas of detection, from explosives and patrol to narcotics. The K-9 vests can cost anywhere from $800 to $3,000.
Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said he appreciates the student body for contributing to law enforcement, especially since he's a professor and graduate of Monmouth University.
"It's extra special for us that the student body takes interest in raising us money for our K-9's," Golden said. "Year after year, since I've been sheriff, they've been doing this. So when there's changeover in the student body and yet they still have us down as an annual event -- and then they're passing it on to the other generations coming into the campus, that's pretty special."
The protection of K-9's has become paramount in the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office especially after K-9 Solo was shot and killed in 1997, Golden said. Solo was shot by a suspect in a standoff situation in Bradley Beach. A monument honoring the K-9 sits out front of the county's police academy building in Freehold.
The chapter president of Alpha Phi Sigma, Patricia Toomey, said people want to contribute to help protect the dogs from dangerous situations.
"We want to protect the dogs that serve and protect us every day," said Toomey, a junior majoring in criminal justice and sociology. "People just need the goodwill to open up their hearts and their wallets to us, but really it's about promoting the event and everyone just loves the dogs."
And plenty of people have had goodwill over the past couple years. Alpha Phi Sigma has raised several thousands of the K-9 unit over the past several years. In 2016, the group had a record year, raising more than $750, according to chapter leaders. They were able to purchase one vest with the proceeds.
The K-9 unit was called out in 2016 to 145 explosive detection calls, 330 tracking calls and 311 narcotics calls.
Donations to the Monmouth County Sheriff's Office K-9 Unit can be made in checks payable to the Monmouth County Treasurer, Hall of Records, located at 1 East Main Street, Freehold. A letter should be sent with the check indicating the money is for the MCSO K-9 donation fund.
Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.