Quantcast
Something smells at airport, but not dogs – Metro US

Something smells at airport, but not dogs

While the Obama administration tries to tighten airport security in the wake of the Christmas Day bombing attempt over Detroit, the Transportation Security Administration’s bomb-smelling dogs at the Philadelphia International Airport can’t do their jobs.

Federal lawmakers questioned the Transportation Security Administration in Philadelphia yesterday, a day after reports that three bomb-sniffing dogs failed their recertification exam.

The TSA canines at Philadelphia International Airport failed the exam in December, but remained on duty and neither airport officials nor Philadelphia police were alerted until the information was leaked to the media Tuesday. The city police department’s 10 bomb-sniffing dogs are still certified.

While Philadelphia airport officials say there are other safety measures, a security expert said the lapse in communication is alarming in light of recent breakdowns, including a man who walked into a secure area at Newark International Airport, shutting down a terminal there on Sunday. Surveillance cameras weren’t working properly, however, and the incident wasn’t recorded.

“It shows that there’s a lack of communication between the agencies involved and I have no idea why that is,” said Doug Laird, former security director for Northwest Airlines.