Boggie Dog

Why do I suspect your really didn't mean "hockey"? I've mucked out enough stables to know what it really is.

Boraxo

Most definitely NOT the case.

I first encountered the dog screening on Wednesday late afternoon at IAH. Normally I go through Terminal C checkpoint, where precheck line is often longer (but still moves fast). But saw my flight was leaving from E and decided that might save me a 20m walk. Huge mistake! The lines at Terminal E were massively backed up beyond the ropes - it was as if there was no pre-check as everyone had to funnel through some area with the dogs. After waiting a minute with no progress I took the escalator down and walked to Terminal D. There were no dogs there but the lines were ultra-slow due as they were filled mostly with families going international and there was a modified pre-check (e.g. all electronics out but no MMW). I still think I came out ahead but who knows - at least the walk wasn't too long.

My initial assumption was that the dogs were there to sniff out narco-traffickers but perhaps that is only part of the mission. Would like to complain but don't want to be flagged SSSS so I guess I will just suck it up and avoid Terminal E. Hopefully we don't see this nonsense at SFO. Found the whole thing outrageous and pointless.

Section 107

TSA PSCs are not at all trained to respond to narcotics. So no, it is not even an infinitesimal "part" of the mission.

Every airport is different and has its own screening issues, and something in particular might have been going on at Term E to cause a delay, but I suspect had you given the the line you were in more than "one minute" you would have ended up going through more quickly than changing checkpoints. Several time I have been just as dismayed at extremely long lines at ORD (easily 400 people in the line as it wrapped twice around the main concourse area before getting the TDCs) but ended up moving quite rapidly. The PSCs, when properly handled and utilized, are impressive. YMMV.

Boggie Dog

TSA does so little right why should we think TSA can deploy "Passenger Screening Canines" properly? I have seen no proof that some of the dogs employed by TSA aren't drug dogs. They do use other departments dogs.

petaluma1

And therein lies the operative phrase. TSA can't seem to do much right so why would we believe that they properly handle and utilize the dogs?

Boraxo

With all due respect, I don't know the source of your info but I don't for 1 minute believe that.

TSA has never successfully stopped a terrorist so it has to find other means of justifying its massive budget. Which it does by detaining narco-traffickers, currency mules, etc. If the dogs were efficient bomb sniffers we would have seen them much sooner.

I pay for CLEAR (and GE for my kids) so that we don't have to worry about variables like waiting in lines at undermanned TSA checkpoints. This pretty much works for me at all major USA airports except IAH where UA kicked CLEAR to the curb and Terminal E is always a nightmare. At one point HOU was even worse with 30-60 min lines. So basically I don't do 400 person lines anymore. Houston is the 4th largest city in the USA now and needs to get its act together at IAH.

chollie

(bolding mine)

Key words.

Section 107

Each of us is entitled to believe whatever we want - whether based on knowledge and fact or uninformed ignorant faith. My statements (belief if you like) is based on my direct work and personal experience with the NEDCTP program, its instructors and handler teams. Read the from the beginning of this thread and couple of others - there is a lot of discussion regarding how detection dogs are trained and how/why no ethical nor responsible trainer will cross train an animal for both explosive and narcotics.

Technically, TSOs do not have any authority to detain anyone (I know of some TSOs who let one woman leave a checkpoint even though she was transporting more than 30 kilos of narcotics). As with many other government employees, should a TSA employee come across items or circumstances that appear to contravene state or federal law then they are duty-bound to inform the appropriate entity for further investigation. Whether that duty has been abused is, of course, another discussion.

"...we would have seen them much sooner..." - much sooner than what? USG has had an official canine explosive detection program for commercial aviation since the early '70's and the PSCs were first deployed in 2011.

Section 107

And you have equally as much proof of any TSA dog being used as a drug dog. So with equal lack of proof for either assertion for why do you (seem to) believe one assertion is true but the other not?

Wish I could take you to Lackland so you could experience the training first-hand. So I will offer an suggestion - take some time to visit an airport PD and talk with their handlers. If you like, PM with the US airport you would like to visit and I will let you know whom to contact to arrange a meeting with their EDC team.

mauve

Do all TSA dogs come from the Canine Training Center, or could TSA be acquiring dogs from other sources for drug screening? Maybe borrowing dogs from CBP, DEA, or local agencies?

I'm assuming even TSA isn't doing something as ill-advised as dual-training dogs for drugs and explosives, but they apparently demoed exactly that in Hawaii a couple of years back: TSA unveils new canine unit - Hawaii News Now - KGMB and KHNL

It seems unlikely that most US law enforcement agencies would accommodate something like that for a typical civilian.

yandosan

Have you not considered the threat of explosive narcotics? In this day and age it's a distinct possibility.

Boggie Dog

I think it was stated in this thread, but perhaps elsewhere, that canines from other components are being deployed to airports. If true is it unreasonable to think some of these teams might be drug detection canines?

Section 107

Yes, that is absolutely true - non-TSA canine program teams are operating at airports in conjunction with the TSA teams at that airport (though not at all airports - it depends on the airport and its police dept). And it is absolutely reasonable that some of those teams are detecting narcotics. But they are not working for TSA nor are they not trained or certified in ED work by TSA; further, they are not employed or subsidized by TSA as are the ED teams. Some of these teams are from Customs doing currency, narcotics or agricultural inspections; or from other agencies doing similar inspection/detection work.

Section 107

hmm, Meth production involves highly volatile chemicals that ED dogs alert on; and some folks create explosions while dabbing (a method of producing extremely concentrated amounts of THC) but both of those situations do not result in actual drugs that are explosive. Can you give us an example of explosive drugs?

nachtnebel

Sure. Del Monte vegetables.