Supervisors add 3 canine units to JWA

Paul Clinton

SANTA ANA -- Orange County supervisors added three additional canine

units to John Wayne Airport Tuesday.

The board chipped in $222,000 of airport money to match a federal gift

of $120,000 to help pay for the additional patrol for one year.

The grant money came from the Transportation Security Administration,

the newly created federal agency that has been given oversight of a

massive effort to button down airports after the Sept. 11 terrorist

attacks.

Supervisor Jim Silva, who represents Costa Mesa and Newport Beach,

said the move would give travelers greater peace of mind.

“It is our duty to protect not only our residents, but also those

visiting our county, especially in light of the recent tragedy of Sept.

11,” Silva said. “By approving this agreement, we have been able to

increase John Wayne’s level of security to ensure the safety and

well-being of our county residents and airport passengers.”

The new canine units will be used to patrol the terminal, sniff

through suspect luggage and search any airplanes.

The dogs will be handled by Orange County Sheriffs deputies, but will

be housed at the airport, spokeswoman Ann McCarley said.

The airport will use the money to build kennels and an open area for

the dogs to stretch their legs, McCarley said.

The county also needs to purchase three vans with special cages to

transport the animals around the airfield where they are needed.

The new teams will be designated for use only at the airport.

“It’s just another security layer at the airport,” McCarley said. “The

more security we can provide, the better.”