Policy Text
Airport Bureau Page 1 of 2 210/05 (NEW 10/18)
OPERATIONS ORDER
Passenger Screening Canine(s)
The purpose of this Operations Or der is to establish procedures for using Passenger
Screening Canine teams to screen passengers at the Security Che ckpoints at the
Sacramento International Airport. I. Background
The Airport Bureau is participatin g in a program in partnership with the
Transportation Security Adminis tration (TSA) to utilize Passeng er Screening
Canine (PSC) teams to screen pa ssengers at TSA’s security check points. These
teams consist of a Deputy Sher iff Handler and his/her assigned canine. As
participants in this program, bot h Handler and canine have rece ived training in
Passenger Screening Canine techni ques from the TSA Canine Train ing Center
at Lackland Air Force Base.
II. Utilization
A. At times mutually agreed to b y SSD and TSA, PSC teams will b e deployed
to the Screening Checkpoints. T he teams will work with Transpo rtation
Security Officers to conduct scr eening of passengers entering t he
checkpoints in desig nated screening areas.
B. A positive response/Change o f Behavior (COB) by a Passenger Screening
Canine indicates the canine has detected the presence of a chem ical odor
the canine associates with an explosive compound. The canine m ay also
respond to odors found in innocuous items such as nitroglycerin e pills or
fertilizers. Further investigativ e techniques must be used aft er a positive
response by the PSC to determine the nature of the odor. A pos itive
response by a trained PSC does not mean the Person of Interest is
necessarily carrying an impr ovised explosive device.
If the Handler detects a Change of Behavior by the canine, the Handler
will identify the Person of Inte rest causing the Change of Beha vior, and
will refer the Person of Intere st to the Transportation Securit y Officers.
This Person of Interest will then be subject to secondary/addit ional
screening protocols by the TSA, a s per their current Standard O perating
Procedures.
Airport Bureau Page 2 of 2 210/05 (NEW 10/18) C. Whenever PSC operations are bein g conducted, a second SSD offic er shall
always be in the immediate area o f the PSC operations to act as the
Handler’s cover officer.
III. Response
After a Person of Interest is re ferred, TSA will attempt to cle ar the subject for air
travel. If TSA is unable to cl ear the subject, the subject wil l be referred to SSD,
and the incident will be handled according to existing TSA and SSD policy,
including Airport Bureau Oper ations Orders 207/02, Airport Bure au Operations
Order 207/03, and Field Servic es Operation Order 6/08.
Related Orders: Airport Bureau Operations Order 207/02; Prohibited Items or
Contraband at Checkpoints and in Checked Luggage
Airport Bureau Operations Order 207/03; Bomb Threat Procedures
Field Services Operations Order 6 /08; Bomb Threats, Suspicious
Items, Explosives and Arson