TSA explosives detection canine Eci is featured in TSA’s 2024 canine calendar.
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- An explosives detection canine who was trained at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) National Canine Training Center and who worked for the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) Police Department until retiring this year is pictured in the free downloadable TSA 2024 monthly calendar that features its explosives detection canines from across the country.
Eci is an 8-year-old Dutch Shepherd who worked with handler, NFTA Police Officer Dina Bigham, in the NFTA-Metro mass transit system in Buffalo and at the Buffalo Niagara International Airport until the canine retired earlier this year.
Eci enjoyed riding the train and loved working on the light rail system. She especially loved an occasional “pup cup” after a hard day at work. Her favorite toy remains a red KONG.
Earlier this year, Bigham and Eci assisted with security in Phoenix during Super Bowl week. They also assisted with Super Bowl LIV in Miami in 2020.
“It has been an honor to continue to serve and to do so alongside Eci,” said Bigham, who adopted Eci after she retired.
TSA trains each of its explosives detection canines at the National TSA Canine Training Center, located at Joint Base San Antonio - Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. Considered the “Center for Excellence” for explosives detection canine training, the TSA National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program is the Department of Homeland Security’s largest explosives detection canine program.
About 300 canines complete the training annually and are assigned to TSA canine handlers or to TSA’s partner law enforcement agencies, like NFTA Police. Each canine recruit spends 16 weeks in training where they meet their handlers, socialize to adapt to busy airport environments, and learn their craft of detecting a variety of explosive odors before reporting to their duty stations.
Each canine and their handler serves as a reliable resource for detecting explosives as well as providing a visible deterrent to terrorism directed towards various types of transportation nodes. Once on duty, these canines work to safeguard passengers and cargo across the nation’s transportation systems including on buses, rail systems and in airports.
This year’s calendar features fun facts and great photos of a few of TSA’s dedicated canines selected from dozens of entries submitted by canine teams from across the agency to help TSA celebrate National Dog Day in August.
TSA has more than 1,000 canine handler teams deployed in support of security and screening operations nationwide. The explosives detection canine teams inspect passengers and all areas in and around terminals. They are so effective at their jobs that other public and private sector law enforcement agencies often request their support for similar security missions.