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Dog handler plays high profile role in post 9/11 Northwest

Sgt. Kerry Kintzley and his dog Sissy check cars for explosives prior to a ferry departure from Seattle's Coleman Dock
Austin Jenkins
/
Northwest News Network
Sgt. Kerry Kintzley and his dog Sissy check cars for explosives prior to a ferry departure from Seattle's Coleman Dock

Reflections from someone who plays one of the more visible security roles in the post-9/11 Northwest:

"My name is Sgt. Kerry Kintzley. I'm a Sergeant with the Washington State Patrol. I work at the Washington State ferry system screening vehicles prior to their boarding. Sissy ... is a four-year-old Lab Vizsla mix trained to detect explosives.

"Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the nation, therefore it's a top terrorist target.

"Our dogs are very good at finding firearms and fireworks and things of that nature. So far we've been fortunate enough that no one's tried to carry a bomb on board.

"It is easy for people to become complacent and think that the threat is over. Unfortunately all you have to do is watch the evening news and it doesn't take long before you see that terrorism is still a threat.

"The dogs, they love the job, they think it's playtime. To them this is a game. They're looking for their toy while they're working so they don't realize that they're actually trying to prevent terrorism.

"September 11th is always a day in which we're much more aware and we'll be out here screening vehicles.

Since January 2004, Austin Jenkins has been the Olympia-based political reporter for the Northwest News Network. In that position, Austin covers Northwest politics and public policy as well as the Washington State legislature. You can also see Austin on television as host of TVW's (the C–SPAN of Washington State) Emmy-nominated public affairs program "Inside Olympia." Prior to joining the Northwest News Network, Austin worked as a television reporter in Seattle, Portland and Boise. Austin is a graduate of Garfield High School in Seattle and Connecticut College in New London, Connecticut. Austin’s reporting has been recognized with awards from the Association of Capitol Reporters and Editors, Public Radio News Directors Incorporated and the Society of Professional Journalists.