The MTA Police Department’s Canine Training Facility, the largest K-9 training facility in the country, has opened in Stormville, New York under the aegis of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, reports CBS 2 NewYork. It is the only state-of-the-art mass transit-specific canine training center in the United States and was envisioned immediately after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
Two retired train cars, a number of city buses, and an open field in a sophisticated 72-acre facility prepare carefully chosen dogs to find explosives or to assist law enforcement officers in many other ways.
Dogs train for three months to become explosive-detection dogs and for four months when learning mass transit tactical techniques. They regard their work as play and are rewarded with play and treats.
Another article on the facility from the Poughkeepsie Journal can be found here.
