WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. - Doesn't everyone like a story about dogs? After all, those fun-loving, floppy-eared animals are like a family member to many households. That is, unless you are a terrorist or a person carrying drugs at the Watervliet Arsenal.
The City of Albany Police Department's K-9 unit converged on the Arsenal this week in support of an antiterrorism exercise initiated by the Arsenal's Director of Emergency Services, Joe Claus.
This exercise was not done to counter any current threat, but to test and evaluate the Arsenal's antiterrorism program, as well as threats to the health and welfare of the Arsenal by those who would bring drugs onto this Army installation, Claus said.
"In the past year, we have ramped up our force protection preparedness and we have done so by involving more support from emergency responders from outside of our fence line," Claus said. "For example, last month we conducted an antiterrorism exercise at the Arsenal with a SWAT team from the FBI and today we have a canine unit from the Albany Police Department."
The Albany Police Department sent four team members and three drug detection dogs to support more than 16 Arsenal Law Enforcement Officers in the search of incoming and outgoing vehicles during the two-hour exercise.
Despite it being more than 10 years since 9/11, there were several firsts associated with this exercise.
"Prior to 9/11, we rarely trained with communities or government installations outside of the city," said Sgt. Eric Cotter, who supervises the Albany Police Department's canine and mounted units. "Since then, however, we have been very aggressive in working with local communities and government agencies that do not have a canine unit."
But despite Cotter's expanded mission to venture outside of the city, this was the first time his canine unit had trained on an Army installation, Cotter said.
Claus also said that this was the first time that a canine unit had trained with the Arsenal's law enforcement officers in an antiterrorism exercise.
"Having this canine unit added an entirely new dimension to our level of preparedness, as well as improving the image of our law enforcement capability to the Arsenal workforce," Claus said.
As much as the Arsenal would like to train with this canine unit again, trying to work into the canine unit's schedule may be a challenge. After all, this canine team did more than 750 "utilizations" or missions last year, Cotter said.
Claus said the key take away from the exercise that was conducted on Feb. 7, 2012, is a continuing commitment from the Arsenal to improve communications and relationships with emergency responders from outside the arsenal fence line.
"Having the Albany Police Department support us today will pay huge dividends not only in future training opportunities, but also in protecting the health and welfare of the Arsenal's workforce," Claus said.
Although the U.S. Army requires all installations to train, exercise, and test their antiterrorism program at least once each year, the Arsenal has exceeded that requirement by conducting force protection exercises about once a quarter, Claus added.
The Watervliet Arsenal (pronounced water-vleet") is an Army-owned and -operated manufacturing facility located in Watervliet, N.Y. The Arsenal is the oldest, continuously active arsenal in the United States having begun operations during the War of 1812.
Today's Arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign militaries to produce the most advanced, high tech, high powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems. This National Historic Registered Landmark has an annual economic benefit to the local community in excess of $100 million.
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