The Greater Rochester International Airport, in a partnership with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, expanded its canine explosives detection program on Friday.
A German Shepherd named Lola recently completed a three-month training program at the TSA’s National Canine Training Center in San Antonio, Texas. The dog will be handled by a Monroe County sheriff’s deputy. Lola and her handler will join two other canine teams already working at the airport.
TSA trains and deploys both TSA-led and locally-led canine teams in support of day-to-day activities that protect transportation for all passengers. Dogs have consistently been reliable in explosives detection and provide a visible deterrent to terrorism directed toward the transportation system. Canine teams work in aviation as well as multimodal, maritime, mass transit and cargo environments.
The TSA’s National Explosives Detection Canine Team program is the largest explosives detection canine program in the Department of Homeland Security, and the second-largest in the federal government.
Most detection teams involve pairing one canine with one local handler. The three dogs deployed at the Rochester International Airport include two German Shepherds and a German Shorthaired Pointer. All expenses for the canines are covered by the TSA.