chollie

This.

The dog's training is based on pleasing its handler and getting a reward.

A very smart dog can pick up on its handler's wishes and figure out what the 'right' response is.

A smart dog easily figures out that if his handler is making him re-search a cleared bag, he (dog) clearly didn't get it 'right' the first time.

yandosan

Yes, Chollie, with enough "Good boyyyyy" and "Go get it!" comments in the background any biscuit-loving dog knows he better come up with an "alert" when prompted. Finally the cops/gov't found a sure-fire way the circumvent the Constitution and look inside any damn car or suitcase they want.
The $64,000 dollar question is, why have the courts allowed it, given that everyone knows this "alert" is a crock of <redacted>.

RatherBeOnATrain

From Railway Age:Link to full article: TSA brings K-9 training to VRE

petaluma1

TSA is going to try another version of screening by dog:


Now taking bets on whether or not it will be faster.

petaluma1

Apparently, dogs are now being used post-checkpoints to sniff for bombs;

Boggie Dog

Regarding the picture in post #260 , can anyone tell if the dog handler near the window is carrying a side-arm? Kinda looks like it to me but not 100% sure.

I ask because I question whether a LEO can conduct an Administrative Search. Wouldn't it be some other form of law enforcement search if the person doing the search can effect an arrest?

chollie

It isn't going to be faster if they only use the dogs in the sterile area.

WillCAD

I don't know what the laws state, but I do know that LEOs conduct administrative searches at venues such as courthouses all across the US.

I'm also not clear on the laws regarding canines, but I believe that if a dog alerts on you, the cop will regard that as probable cause to at least detain and question you, and possibly to conduct a further physical search. Once the dog alerts, it's no longer considered an administrative search, it becomes a criminal investigation.

And yes, the handler in that photo is absolutely armed. However, it's been stated on these boards several times that TSA doesn't have its own canine corps, it uses canines and handlers from local LEO agencies, so the handler in that photo might be a local cop, rather than a TSO.

yandosan

"I'm also not clear on the laws regarding canines, but I believe that if a dog alerts on you, the cop will regard that as probable cause to at least detain and question you, and possibly to conduct a further physical search."

Yes, they came up with a surefire way to circumvent the 4th Amendment. If you don't think police "encourage" the dogs to come up with the ill-defined alert, woof, tail wag, woof,
slobber, check out the video "Breakfast in Collinsville" by Terrence Huff, who fought the illegal stop and opened a lot of people's eyes to what goes on, and made a lot of money in the lawsuit.

JamesBigglesworth

So a local sworn cop is impersonating a Federal sworn officer?

I was more interested in the fact they were using a German Shepard as the sniffer dog. Possibly the poorest choice of dog they could have gone for. If they're going to try and find explosives then why not use breeds that are better at smell/tracking, rather than a herding dog? Why not, say, Beagles? Not aggressive enough an image for the TSA or something?

petaluma1

Yes, a GSD is a strange breed to use for bomb sniffing. This is more typical of the types of dogs used:





I read a tweet yesterday in which someone stated that the sniffer dog targeted a person in line but there was no follow up as to what happened.

Boggie Dog

I still wonder if TSA doesn't sneak in a drug dog every once in a while.

Loren Pechtel

When the defense asked for records about the dog and it showed up as a drug dog I would think the case would get tossed on fruit of the poisoned tree. Their drug-hunting needs to be more carefully disguised.

WillCAD

The guy in the foreground is wearing a polo that says TSA K9. But he's not handling the dog, and I can't tell whether he's armed.

The armed guy who is handling the dog is leaning away and I can't see whether his shirt says TSA K9 on it. It may not.

Regardless, if the officers are on loan to TSA, then TSA can authorize them to call themselves part of the TSA K9 team, which isn't necessarily the same as "impersonating a federal officer".

Section 107

When the dog alerts the investigating officer now has reasonable suspicion, not probable cause. Except for in the most exigent of circumstances, the handler is not the investigating officer.

Not all handlers in every agency are LEOs; some are just handlers. At airports, most frequently the handler of a TSA-provided Explosives Detection K9 is employed as an officer of the local LEA. Some airports have detection ED K9s that are not sourced from TSA. A local LEO will NOT be wearing a uniform that says "TSA K9" as doing so would be in contravention of general orders and constitute a disciplinary offense; only TSA employees will wear a uniform with TSA K9 emblazoned on the blouse/shirt.

TSA absolutely has its own canine handlers and has for many years. For most of the last decade and a half most handlers of TSA K9s at were LEOs of local airport/mass transit LE agencies but TSA still had its own handlers. The number of TSA handlers has been expanding steadily over the last several years and for TSA now has teams assigned to specific airports as well as teams that move around from airport to airport and other places. Some TSA-employed handlers are federal LEOs; others are Transportation Security Inspectors who are not "LEOs" (meaning they are not authorized to arrest, etc.) even as they have a law enforcement mission .

The photo is almost assuredly an example of part of mandated, recurrent evaluation with the TSA person in the foreground the evaluator.

Even as other breeds may be better suited to certain types of detection work, German Shepherds make for fine detection dogs although they are more frequently used in patrol work.

No, again, TSA does NOT train any of its K9s in narcotics detection. Certain posters who continually make the allegation imply the contrary have been publicly and directly offered the opportunity to have an in-person visit with TSA K9 handlers to observe and learn first-hand all about the training but have refused the opportunity and yet still make the specious alleg implication. It's quite instructive yet disappointing how some folks simply refuse to let facts inform their opinions.