Unusually long lines clogged Buffalo Niagara International Airport on Monday. It's part of a trend forming at airports around the country, one that Senator Charles Schumer believes can be alleviated with more canine patrols.
Schumer addressed the issue during a stop Monday in the town of Niagara. Airport security checkpoints could be simplified by using the dogs.
"You don't need to take off your shoes, take off your jacket, and they can even smell your carry-on bags. So it's like pre-check. And it cuts the time in half," Schumer said, pointing out that 330 such dogs are currently in use by the TSA.
There are another 650 trained dogs available that are currently allocated to states and local municipalities. He wants the TSA to "bring them to the airports and that could greatly speed up the lines at airports at virtually no cost."
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson recently said the TSA will expedite the hiring of more than 760 additional officers this year and maximize the use of overtime to help with the airport lines. But Schumer sees dogs as a simpler solution.
"We need more of these dogs. They're very efficient. They're very effective, but at the same time they do the job better than just about anything else."