Page 40 - Marshal Annual Report

CER TIFIED K-9

THE AIR POR T DIVISION ABBY
is responsible for all police responsibilities as well The 3 ½ year old black lab began work at the airport on Monday, March 25th,
as physical security at the Augusta Regional Airport.
The Airport Division provides the first layer of security 2018. Abby is a certified explosives detection K-9, certified by the International
for the airport, and it is their primary goal to provide Police Working Dog Association.
the safest environment possible for all passengers,
tenants, visitors and employees. In keeping with her purpose of keeping travelers and visitors of the Augusta
Regional Airport safe, Abby was named after the Roman goddess Abeona, also
The airport consists of multiple facilities, hangars and
a primary passenger terminal which are spread across known as the goddess of outward journeys. One of Abeona’s roles was to watch
1,411 acres. The Airport Division consists of 25 officers over travelers on their outward journeys.
and employees and one K9, “ABBY”, who provide
coverage 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The Marshal’s Abby and her handler are assigned to the airport where they work daily to
Office is heavily involved in many specialized exercises ensure the safety of the facility and its visitors.
such as VIP/Dignitary movement missions, military
exercises and training exercises, along with the normal
police day to day operations. The latest technology is
used to maintain constant oversight across the airport
to help make security a top priority.

In 2020, the Airport Division completed 9,268 calls
for service. Due to Covid-19, the number of screened
passengers utilizing Augusta Regional Airport declined
from 335,000 in 2019 to 173,940 in 2020. The Marshal’s
Airport Division worked tirelessly with airport staff
to insure that the airport stayed clean and safe for
the flying public and visitors. Personal protective
equipment (PPE) was available and offered to anyone
who needed it. All areas of the airport were sanitized
several times a day, and an industrial sanitation fogger
is also used daily.

Since 2020 was an election year, several VIP/Dignitaries
visited the Airport including Vice President Pence. The
Airport Division aided the United States Secret Service
and other law enforcement partners to provide security
for these events.

Due to Covid-19, some of the traditional community
events that occur at the airport, such as the Ronald
McDonald House Plane Pull, were canceled.

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