“I am confident that this facility, with its various upgrades and improvements, will enhance the capabilities of our canine programs for years to come,” said U.S. Secret Service Director James Murray.
This new facility, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Harkins Building is 20,500 square feet and technologically advanced. Within the structure will be individual and isolation kennels, a veterinarian room, and plenty of administrative space for staff and students.
The first Secret Service canine corps graduated from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Canine Training Division 1976 after completing 21 weeks of instruction. The corps consisted of six officers and their dogs to operate as mobile response units, able to locate and detect possible explosive devices that come to the attention of the Secret Service at the White House, Naval Observatory and the foreign diplomatic missions within the Washington, D.C. area. Now, as the Secret Service moves into this new facility, it has over 100 operational canine units and four different training programs for the canines.
“This project offered our team a unique design challenges that is atypical from our standard military construction project,” said Colonel Geoffrey Kuhlmann, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore District deputy commander. “I am honored to say that we delivered on this challenge, providing the United States Secret Service with a facility that features modern design and functionality and places the safety of these impressive canines and their handlers at the forefront.”
-- United States Secret Service