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During a midnight screening at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, 24-year-old James Holmes set off tear gas grenades and shot into the audience with multiple firearms. Twelve people were killed and 70 others were injured. This incident occurred more than a decade ago yet, unfortunately, active shooter incidents continue to be on the rise. According to Gun Violence Archive, there have been over 370 mass shootings already this year that took the lives of more than 377 people.

Coming from a strong law enforcement family background, Jesikah Waite enlisted in the Army with a desire to serve in the military police. During basic training, an opportunity came up for canine handlers and Jesikah volunteered – along with a considerable number of other soldiers. “I am not even sure why I volunteered. I never even pet a large dog,” she recalls with a chuckle. Turns out Jesikah was selected as one of just 12 soldiers to go to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX, for canine training.

Venues require a specific strategy and a road map, including facility orientation

Venues require a specific strategy and a road map, including facility orientation

Venues require a specific strategy and a road map, including facility orientation

The first recorded mail bomb was sent as part of the “Bandbox Plot” in 1712. It was named after a type of hatbox sent to Robert Harley, the Earl of Oxford and British lord treasurer. The box, with a thread fastened to the lid, contained three pistols set to shoot the recipient opening the box. According to the story, as the Earl began to open the box, author Jonathan Swift, who was also in the room, suspected foul play and disarmed the device. Over three centuries later, mail-borne terror remains a very real and persistent threat.

Improving security at hospitals and medical facilities is top of mind more than ever and IAHSS was a key venue for thought-provoking discussions.

Enhanced Protection Services Explosive Detection Canine Handler Miles Courtney thinks back to the first day he brought two-year-old black Labrador Rudy home to meet his family. He says that it was his son, Hudson, who gave the thumbs-up on the new addition. “At just three years old, my son took to Rudy right away. They were best buds from the start and that night, fell asleep together in Hudson’s bed,” Miles says with a smile. That first meeting was just four months ago and Miles reports that it was the start of an extremely close partnership.

Our colleague, Allied Universal security professional Christian LaCour, was tragically killed this past weekend while shielding shoppers and employees from a gunman in Allen, Texas.

Today, Beckstrand is a proud canine handler for MSA Security®, an Allied Universal® Company. Beckstrand’s canine Bane is a four-year-old German Shepherd trained to sniff out firearms.