Canine Training Facility Under Way For US Secret Service
The Harkins team attended the groundbreaking of the new JJRTC Canine Training Facility on Wednesday, November 29th. Located in Beltsville, MD, the United States Secret Service Training Facility includes a canine facility and kennels specifically for training handlers and law enforcement working dogs.
Built in the mid 1980’s, the Maloney Canine Building houses an administration area, food preparation, equipment storage, and washing facilities. Due to its age, it lacks the accommodations necessary to meet current military canine handling standards for facilitating complete training, care, and housing of animals, as well as training for handlers. The buildings will be demolished and replaced with a new state-of-the-art Canine Facility in two buildings. It will provide 36 kennels in 29,100 sf, nearly tripling the size of what is currently available.
At the ceremony, Project Executive Ben Nichols said “As a company, we have a deep-seated respect for our men and women who serve in uniform; we are proud to have 16 veterans of the Armed Services and Police Force currently on staff. When Thomas Harkins opened Harkins Builders for business more than 50 years ago, he built the company on the virtues learned as a young Army First Lieutenant leading soldiers while serving in the Korean War. The values instilled by Mr. Harkins are still the backbone of the company today and we strive to serve our clients as well as the men and women in uniform that serve our country every day.”