In 1995, Grace Reisling embarked on an ambitious goal of becoming an explosives detection canine handler during a time when there were very few women law enforcement officers, especially in leadership roles. Her initiative, leadership and drive established the foundation for the globally recognized National Canine Program, the authority in explosives and bombings investigations.
Reisling’s parents raised her with a clear understanding of the importance of giving back to society. As a member of a military family, she looked for a mentally and physically challenging career that would require self-discipline and decided to pursue law enforcement. During the mid-1990s, women made up only 14% of full time sworn officers, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. In addition, minorities made up just 28% of federal officers in 1996. Despite the challenges, Reisling was sworn in as a special agent in 1988 and started her career at the Philadelphia Field Division.
In response to the 1988 Pan Am Flight 103 terrorist attack, ATF expanded its mission to include an explosives and bombing tactical program. The assistant director at the time, Patrick Hynes, sought an agent to lead and build a strong program that would not only create policies and standards, but also establish ATF as a leader in this area. With a background as an explosives investigator, Reisling was a natural fit, and she developed a top-notch program including strategic partnerships with other law enforcement agencies and a training system for monitoring, evaluating and sharing best practices. Armed with the success from this program, in 1996 Reisling briefed senior leaders and members of Congress and secured funding to create the ATF Canine Division and Training Center. Reisling and her K-9 Charlie went on to serve on many high-profile missions and investigations with interagency partners, such as the Unabomber and the Centennial Olympic Park bombing cases.
“We owe everything we do here to Grace. If it were not for her unwavering commitment to the bureau, the National Canine Division would not exist today,” said Shawn Crawford, Canine Team Lead for ATF’s Canine S.E.E.K. program. “She recognized an opportunity to make communities safer from explosives with the launch of the Explosives Detection Canine Program, while amplifying ATF’s law enforcement mission.” Since the time that Reisling helped with the launch, the ATF National Canine Division and Canine Training Center has trained more than 974 explosive detection canines and 280 accelerant detection canines and has hosted 4,194 canines during annual National Odor Recognition Test events. ATF’s canine program is the only law-enforcement-operated, scientifically based program of its kind.
