Detroit TSA Employee Removed from Handling Duty After 'Aggressively' Pulling Bomb-Sniffing Dog in Viral Video
"The behavior displayed by this handler is unacceptable, and not within the high standards we hold our officers to," the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport said in a statement
A Transportation Security Administration officer has been removed from handling duties after his treatment of a bomb-sniffing dog went viral.
In a video uploaded to Reddit on Sunday, an unidentified TSA official at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport is seen yanking on a canine leash as they walk back and forth through the airport's busy terminal. The video on Reddit has since been deleted but was shared by Rep. Jamie Thompson, the representative for Michigan's 28th State House District.
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"This isn't delta specific but filmed from the sky club at DTW. I was shocked at how this airport handler is dragging this poor pup around," said ProfessionalEye3568 in the caption of the one-minute clip on Redditt. "There's no reason anyone should be flipping a working dog around by its harness like this?!"
As the video began to gain traction on the social media platform, the airport responded to the situation in n a statement shared on Twitter.
"The Wayne County Airport Authority is aware of the incident involving a TSA dog handler," the statement reads. "As this is a TSA matter, the Airport Authority immediately referred this incident to the TSA for investigation and response Sunday."
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The TSA acknowledged the video in a statement shared on Twitter, expressing that they condemned the officer's actions and that the canine was "taken immediately to a veterinarian."
"Video showing a TSA explosive detection canine handler aggressively pulling a dog working in a Detroit Metropolitan Airport (DTW) terminal was shared with local leadership this morning," the statement reads. "The behavior displayed by this handler is unacceptable, and not within the high standards we hold our officers to. TSA officials at DTW have removed the employee from handling duties pending the completion of an investigation and directed that the canine be taken immediately to a veterinarian for a wellness exam."
Thompson, the Michigan state rep., also condemned the agent's actions in a statement shared on social media, expressing that she will "continue to monitor this situation."
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"People and families across our region frequent Detroit Metro every day, and it's important to make sure proper protocols are being followed," the statement adds.
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