Keeping Robins safe, secure: 78th Security Forces Squadron

ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — Whether passing the fences surrounding Robins or entering through the gates of the base at the start of your workday, some security measures are obvious — but there is more than meets the eye.

Lt. Col. Kenneth Canty-Lane II, commander of the 78th Security Forces Squadron, spoke on the many layers of security at Robins keeping people safe as well as the base’s assets secure.

“I’m responsible for all installation security, which includes a number of things, from a K-9 section, regular police — what we call ‘straight-legs’ — to vehicle searching and even some background checks for vetting purposes for people to access the installation,” Canty-Lane said.

The 78th Security Forces Squadron consists of around 325 people of many different backgrounds.

“That spans everything from a brand-new Airman 6 months in the Air Force — right out of tech school, they get here — and that goes all the way up to folks that have been doing this for 25 years, some of them military,” he said. “Some of my retired civilians working here are retired military, we have folks that have been in service of their country for 30-plus years.”

Canty-Lane said he operates the squadron according to an annual budget, overseeing a supply section of personnel that works to provide materials necessary to train and execute security operations for the base.

While some of the security techniques are sensitive, Canty-Lane shared what he could to give readers an idea of the different levels of attention required in keeping the base secure.

“I will say, when it comes to base defense, we look at it from the outside of the perimeter in,” Canty-Lane said. “We work with local law enforcement, first off, outside of the perimeter, and then we have a number of either detention and delay mechanisms along the perimeter — so, that might just be your fencing and cabling that can help prevent vehicles from entering the gate — to other forms of sensors and cameras, or even as low-tech as a person doing random checks and perimeter sweeps.”

Some of these precautions are also completed along State Route 247 running next to the base, but he shared that some of their personnel perform checks of the swampland nearby as well. This can involve some ATV use for patrolling the surrounding land nearby Robins.

Further inside the gates of the base, the use of sensors, cameras and patrol vehicles continues.

One step in from there, for example, would involve specialized security patrols, precautions and weapons protecting the base’s assets, such as JSTARS.

Say JSTARS and its assets travel to another airbase, “fly-away” personnel within the squadron will tag along to provide further security there.

An investigative section of the 78th SFS will take specific cases and collaborate with local law enforcement detectives, FBI and OSI to tackle the more detailed assignments.

The rest of the squadron also works closely with local and federal law enforcement entities, holding close relationships with them, working with them as needed and also training together from time to time.

The squadron sees various types of training when qualifying for their respective positions, and Canty-Lane said one particular method provides experience on de-escalation training as well as “shoot-no shoot” scenarios.

“We do have a VR system that allows them to interact with people virtually and, hopefully, verbally de-escalate a situation or, when necessary, pull their weapon,” he explained.

The 78th SFS also practices room-clearing techniques with a portable shoot house.

“If you have an active shooter or any other threat actor and we have to enter into a building where you don’t know what it’s like entering into that building, we can use the portable shoot house to set up different rooms and different areas, so that way the defender responding never knows quite what they’re walking into,” he said.

This can be paired with a stress vest system, something Canty-Lane said is like “laser tag on steroids.” If someone is shot while wearing the stress vest and/or hats, they will feel an electrical stimulus. This can even continue to pulsate, simulating a live wound.

The squadron also trains with less-than-lethal methods, such as tasers, expandable batons and OC spray. This training can take place multiple times a year.

During Police Week each year in May, the 78th SFS will take part in some type of activity in honor of the occasion.

Canty-Lane said the squadron has helped with Habitat for Humanity rebuilding homes for victims of domestic violence, participated in parades and also taken part in events honoring fallen police officers. They have even hosted a Ruck March there on base in memory of fallen officers.

Commander Canty-Lane holds a military background in law enforcement work, coming into the service as a lieutenant after finishing college. His current assignment at Robins marks his ninth one in total during his 14 years in the service.

This is his second time serving at Robins, previously working as an operations officer. He has worked as a squadron commander once more before this assignment, previously leading a smaller unit at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada.

“This one is a big step up in size from that unit size,” he said. “I will say that being here once before as a captain, and then also being able to command one time before this command, really helped me in being prepared for a job as dynamic as running 325 people around the squadron at any given time — deployment, TDYs and then obviously the day-to-day mission.”

According to Canty-Lane, the REAL ID Act will go into effect in May 2023, pending any additional legal delay. He said their media campaign advertising the change would begin within the next month to remind people to update their identification.

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