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Recent News
Sniffer dogs to beef up security on public transport
Security on public transport is to be beefed up by 1,000 sniffer dogs trained to detect suicide bombers and explosives.
Contributed by the American Association Pups for Peace, the dogs arrived from Los Angeles a few months ago accompanied by trainers, after they went through preliminary training in detecting explosives in the United States. They were taken to a special training camp in the southern Golan, where they were taught to function in conditions similar to those in mass transport stations, such as crowds milling around and loud voices.
The Netanya bus terminal will get security back-up from eight dogs of various breeds, mainly Labradors and German Shepherds, specially trained to sniff out potential suicide bombers and explosives. The four-legged recruits will patrol the station with their trainers and try to prevent terrorist attacks.
After the experimental project in Netanya, 92 sniffer dogs will join the ranks of public transport security in various terminals nationwide as more are being trained. Transport Ministry officials say the dogs have an advantage over the security guards in detecting explosives due to their superior sense of smell.
With the help of some 900 Jewish and non-Jewish contributors, Pups for Peace buys the dogs from their owners when they are a year old for about $2,000. The price of a trained dog is estimated at $10,000. Transport Ministry spokesman Avner Ovadia said that while the dogs were donated, the ministry will probably pay for the dog trainers.
The public transport security force currently consists of some 600 guards, with plans to recruit another 400. The guards mostly patrol the stations and buses, and travel along the bus routes in special vehicles.
In various places, especially in Jerusalem, the authorities have difficulty recruiting guards due to the low wages in relation to the high risk involved. The ministry is considering raising the guards’ wages, among other methods being examined to encourage more people to take these jobs, the spokesman said.
This morning the ministry will start recruiting the first 24 former South Lebanese Army soldiers to serve as security guards. The SLA veterans will guards public transport in the north.
