A set of K-9 units will be sniffing out possible explosive threats at airports throughout the state.
During a Wednesday press conference at the Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, in collaboration with the federal Transportation Security Administration, introduced a pair of the three total K-9 teams soon to be on patrol in the Magnolia State.
The dogs, which received their training at the Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, will serve to be on the alert for explosive devices.
“As the busiest airport in Mississippi, serving over 1.29 million passengers annually, the safety and security of our travelers and our world-class airlines, tenants, and employees is of the utmost importance to us,” JMAA CEO Rosa M. Beckett said. “The introduction of this new TSA K-9 team at JAN is a significant and welcome addition to our ongoing efforts to ensure a safe environment for everyone.”
A long-awaited addition, security officials at JMAA first called on the federal government to bring a K-9 unit to central Mississippi back in 2019. Now that the request has been fulfilled, travelers can expect to witness one of the law enforcement dogs sniffing bags at security checkpoints.
