DeLand Police Department Receives Donation From Dr. Caesar DePaço

Date Added: August 17, 2017 8:50 am

Chris Graham
Community Information Specialist
Office: 386-626-7117
Cell: 386-872-0821
grahamc@deland.org

DELAND POLICE DEPARTMENT RECEIVES DONATION FROM DR. CAESAR DEPACO

The DeLand Police Department’s K-9, Daro, will finally get the protection he deserves after a very generous donation.

In late July, the police department entered Daro, a 4-year-old German Shepherd, into a contest through Facebook hosted by Keeping K-9s in Kevlar in which the top three dogs with the most likes in the contest would receive a bullet-resistant vest. While Daro would have won the contest, his story touched the heart of someone who has been helping law enforcement for years.

Dr. Caesar DePaço, Honorary Consul of Portugal in the state of Florida and founder and CEO of Summit Nutritionals International Inc., offered to donate the funds for Daro’s vest, a cost of about $2,500. Additionally, he pledged to purchase the department’s second canine, which can cost anywhere from $8,000 to $15,000. DePaço, who is based in Palm Coast, has donated 42 dogs to police departments in the U.S. and abroad as well as a number of ballistic vests for animals.

“The DeLand Police Department is extremely grateful for Dr. DePaço’s donations,” said Police Chief Jason Umberger. “Our streets are safer when our officers have the equipment they need to carry out their duties. Dr. DePaço’s gracious donation could one day save Daro’s life and the life of one of our residents.”