Transit Police Services (TPS) works with OCTA to maintain a safe environment throughout the entire transit system. Part of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, TPS patrols major transportation hubs, responds to incidents and performs searches.
In the 20 years TPS has been performing this essential service, few new hires have received the same level of attention as Foose, Jack and Kori. These single-named deputies are bomb-sniffing dogs who aid the TPS in protecting transit passengers. Along with their handlers, the dogs patrol throughout Orange County, inspecting transit centers and Metrolink stations and responding to suspicious packages and activity.
First came Foose, a Labrador Retriever partnered with Deputy Timmothy Pusztai. Like his K-9 companions, Foose is trained to sniff out explosives and gunpowder. Pusztai, his human partner, is a former military police officer working toward a criminal justice degree. View a Facebook album of Foose and Deputy Pusztai here.
Foose was joined in 2012 by Jack, a Labrador Retriever mix, and Kori, a Hungarian Vizsla. Jack’s partner is Deputy Mike Wigginton; Kori joins Deputy Corey Mayer. Both Wigginton and Mayer are federally certified bomb technicians with nearly a decade of experience on the Orange County Sheriff Department’s bomb squad.
The bomb-detecting teams are funded with the help of a Transportation Security Administration grant that covers the first five years of the K-9 program and furthers the mission of Homeland Security in Orange County.
Though Orange County transit is exceptionally safe, the dogs help thwart potential threats through their highly visible presence and their ability to sniff out potential danger.
Both OCTA and TPS encourage the public to aid law enforcement by being aware and reporting any suspicious behavior. Click here to learn about safety and security.
