Groton — Groton Town police this month became the latest to get a bullet-resistant K-9 vest from a Rhode Island-based foundation that helps people meaningfully donate their money.

The vest, custom-built by Bullet Blocker of Lowell, Mass., went to K-9 Saber, a nearly 2-year-old Belgian Malinois that joined the force earlier this year.

David Jones, CEO of Capital Wealth Management and manager of its corresponding foundation, said he chose to pursue vests in part because he’s a dog lover.

“Police dogs do an amazing thing, but in some towns, (a vest) is not in the budget,” Jones said. “So I said, ‘I’ll buy the vest.’ It’s not an issue.”

Jones said the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission typically frowns upon mingling private wealth firms with foundations, but his group is an exception.

He said Capital Wealth Foundation doesn’t solicit donors, who can remain private and can put their money toward the general fund or specify a scholarship.

Jones said he finds many of the projects the foundation supports by “poking around and being nosy.”

“We’re not giving to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute,” he said. “They’ll be fine. We’re looking for things that are falling through the cracks.”

The foundation donated a vest to police in Narragansett, R.I., earlier this year, Jones said, and soon will hand out three more to departments including Norwich.

Each lightweight vest is made to fit the dog that will wear it. Saber’s vest is stab-proof and has level three body armor, meaning it will stop all but high-caliber rifle rounds, Chief Louis J. Fusaro Jr. said.

“Lots of vests are so heavy and weighted down it’s just not practical,” said Officer Eric Korteweg, Saber’s handler. “With this, this is something I can throw on pretty much any time and it’s just going to up the level of safety for the dog.”

The vest also has a handle Korteweg can use to pick Saber up and two D-shaped rings he can attach a longer line to when taking the dog out to track a scent.

Korteweg, who works the midnight shift, often sends Saber into dark buildings alone during burglary and other calls. Other times he and Saber, whether tracking a suspect or a missing person, run through tall grass and other sight-limiting situations.

“There are plenty of cases where dogs have gone into buildings and there’s been a suspect in there that stabbed the dog or shot it,” he said. “It’s just a level of comfort now that I can send the dog in and know he’s going to have that level of protection when I don’t have eyes on him.”

Jones said many departments have been receptive when he has reached out, but some have greeted him with skepticism because his offer seems too good to be true.

He said he hopes to purchase more vests in the future and would consider paying for handlers to get trained on first aid for K-9s.

Korteweg called Jones’ generosity “unbelievable.”

“Just to know there’s people out in the public that still care about us, that’s awesome,” he said.

l.boyle@theday.com