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Students with Â鶹¹ÙÍø Veterinary Technology program raised more than $1,100 to purchase and donate a bullet and stab resistant vest to Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Aaron Lockney and his partner ‘Marko’.

Â鶹¹ÙÍø student Caitlin Lewis, who is acting president of the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Veterinary Technology Student Association, spearheaded the effort to raise money and purchase the vest. She along with other Veterinary Technology students were able to meet ‘Marko’ and Trooper Lockney for the first time on Monday, Oct. 2 during a formal vest presentation at the Â鶹¹ÙÍø West Campus. The students took a break from their class studies to see Lockney and his partner work together.

‘Marko,’ a 5-year-old Belgian Malinois, has assisted in the seizure of hundreds of pounds of narcotics and the apprehension of hundreds of criminals. Prior to the Â鶹¹ÙÍø students adopting this project, ‘Marko’ did not have a protective vest. He specializes in apprehending criminals who use commercial motor vehicles to further their crimes. He has been a State Trooper K-9 for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol since 2013.

The Veterinary Technology students raised money during the spring 2017 semester with a Rustic Cuff raffle to purchase the custom made K9 vest. Classic Chevrolet in Owasso provided a $100 donation for the project. Each semester, the Â鶹¹ÙÍø Veterinary Technology students raise money to give back to the animal community. Previous projects have included donating a bulletproof vest to a Sand Springs canine officer, donating Kuranda beds to the Sand Springs and the Tulsa Animal Shelter, and donating to the Tulsa Zoo enrichment program.