Dogs graduate from bomb-sniffing school

By Deborah Charles

FRONT ROYAL, Virginia (Reuters) – U.S. Homeland Security
Secretary Michael Chertoff on Thursday paid tribute to one of
America’s most useful weapons in the war on terrorism — the
nose of a well-trained dog.

Chertoff presided over a graduation ceremony for 10 dogs
and their trainers, handing out badges on dog collars at the
Customs and Border Protection Canine Enforcement Training
Center. After having completed a 13-week program, the dogs will
be used to sniff out bombs, drugs and people trying to sneak
into the country.

One member of the graduating class, Slick, a German
shepherd paired with handler Wilfredo Garcia, was so excited he
jumped up on his hind legs to greet Chertoff.

“Dogs are a vital security resource,” Chertoff said at the
training center in Front Royal, about 70 miles west of
Washington. “When it comes to protecting the homeland, our
canine teams have proven time and time again they have a
tremendous intrinsic value.”

Despite new high-tech devices, Chertoff said a dog is often
the best equipped to quickly detect explosives, narcotics and
even people being smuggled into the country.

“I don’t think anything has yet surpassed the canine team,”
he said.

Customs and Border Protection officials said dogs can
screen a vehicle at the border in seconds and do a thorough
exam in minutes. This compares to at least 20 minutes for an
agent or officer to conduct even a cursory check of a vehicle.

There are currently more than 800 dog teams working around
the United States, with most focused on the borders.

Since the September 11, 2001, attacks, Customs and Border
Protection has started training more dogs.

“9/11 promoted the canine teams to a new and more
significant mission, which is to protect us against acts of
terrorism,” Chertoff said.

If a dog finds a trace of a drug or weapon, it is
instructed to stop and sit. A dog named Skeet did just that in
a demonstration for Chertoff, sitting down behind a car in
which a shoulder-launched missile was hidden in the trunk.