Arlington

Fans at AT&T Stadium Protected By Specially Trained β€œVapor Wake” Dogs

Security will be tight at AT&T Stadium for Sunday's playoff game between the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers.

"We make sure no one can get inside the building or close to the building to do any kind of harm," said Arlington Assistant Fire Chief Jim Self. "You'll see police and fire doing our normal things. You may not see a lot of other people doing their jobs, but we'll be there."

Among the security measures will be several teams of specially trained dogs who can sniff the vapors left behind by someone carrying an explosive device.

"These dogs have the ability to identify a suicide bomber," Self said.

"The dog will take us to wherever our would-be terrorist is hiding," said Paul Hammond, with AMK9 in Alabama, where the dogs are trained. "That can allow 10, 20, 30 deep personnel walk past it at any one time and then have this vapor wake dog just sample the heat plumes that are being left behind in their wake, and it's very non obtrusive."

The so-called vapor wake dogs work with a team of three people – a bomb disposal expert, a member of the SWAT team and a hazardous material expert.

"We can allow more people to have that fan experience and go on their way, but all of them are being screened for explosives on their person," Hammond said. "And that's the key."

"They are at the highest level. They are the Ferraris of canines," Hammond added. "And the Dallas Cowboys can feel very safe."

Arlington police are warning fans to be careful where they buy Dallas Cowboys playoffs tickets and from whom.

Arlington police want to make sure fans are safe even before they get to the game. They're warning people are fake tickets.

"Our city ordinance, as it relates to scalping, is you can't sell or purchase tickets within our entertainment district," said Sgt. Vanessa Harrison with the Arlington Police Department. "And our entertainment district is a pretty wide range. If you're being approached by someone within the entertainment district, which is pretty close to the stadium, it's forbidden by our ordinance."

However, tickets are still available online.

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