Record-Setting Canine To Stand Down Friday

Lambert-St. Louis International Airport will witness the retirement of one of its hardest working employees this week. Pino, a 13 year-old Belgian Malinois, will end her tour of duty with the Airport Police Department this Friday, following a run of 10 years and 11 months... a record at Lambert.

Pino is currently the oldest working dog out of more than 500 certified in the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program. The TSA partners with law enforcement agencies to provide the canines, training and a yearly stipend to help protect the nation’s transportation system.

Pino arrived at Lambert in September of 1997 after graduating from the Military Working Dog Training Course at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. She is part of a 10-team K-9 unit at Lambert focusing on explosives detection and other security details.

During her career, Pino has stretched her expertise beyond Lambert providing security support to local, state and federal agencies. Pino has worked numerous high profile events -- including protection details of two US Presidents, school threats that followed the Columbine Tragedy, the 1999 St. Louis visit of Pope John Paul II, the heightened security levels following 9/11, and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City.    

Pino will retire to the home of her police partner, Sgt. Steve Swafford, following her final shift at Lambert. All we can say is... we wish more TSA staffers had her work ethic.

FMI: www.flystl.com, www.tsa.gov