Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office announced that K-9 Quillen, their police dog, will receive a bullet and stab protective vest in about 10 weeks thanks to a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K-9 Quillen is named after another team member who died in the line of duty, Paw Paw Fire Fighter Lt. Ethan M. Quillen.
Fire Fighter Quillen died in the line of duty on Feb. 22, 2023, when he came into contact with a downed power line while responding to call about a tree on a power line. It happened during a winter storm with freezing rain that took down power lines and tree limbs across the state.