Lack of Funding Ends Airport K9 Program

The K9 program at the Colorado Springs Airport (COS) is coming to an end, after funding was cut by the federal government, according to the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD).

On April 26, a FOX21 News article confirmed the funding cuts. The dogs in the program are owned by the Transportation Security Administration, but the officers partnered with them are employed by CSPD, the article noted.

CSPD confirmed in the article that the officers will stay employed by CSPD, but their roles will change. According to CSPD, two out of the three dogs will be retired, and the third one will be moved elsewhere, the report noted.

“I would like to emphasize that this was a decision that was made entirely at the federal level and not something that CSPD or the City of Colorado Springs had a say in,” said a spokesperson for CSPD. “We, of course, will still have officers at the airport and are very much committed to keeping travelers safe.”