Protecting a Nation in Transit: Amtrak’s K-9 Team

Philadelphia, 2015

Security, intensified after the Boston Marathon bombing, is a harsh reality. On platforms and on trains, special police detectives protect the North-East Transit Corridor — Amtrak’s K-9 team.

Nala, trained to smell explosives, works intimately with her partner, K-9 Officer Hugh McFarland.

In the cavernous waiting room, a stream of visitors with mysterious bags, feels frenetic. Nala moves quickly, wagging her tail. Her reward for a job well done: playtime with a squeaky, yellow tennis ball.

Nala retires next year when she turns eight. She will be missed. She is family.

Photos reproduced with permission of Amtrak.