Full Notification

Los Angeles Airport Police Union Statement Regarding New Orleans International Airport Rampage Incident

LOS ANGELES, CA -- The Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers' Association (LAAPOA) today joined the American Alliance of Airport Police Officers (AAAPO) in releasing the following statement regarding the New Orleans International Airport rampage incident:

The American Alliance of Airport Police Officers and the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers’ Association commend the actions of Lt. Heather Slyve of the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office for stopping last Friday's rampage at New Orleans International Airport.

Her quick thinking helped ensure the safety of the traveling public and airport employees.

As the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office and New Orleans International Airport review security procedures in the wake of this incident, which bears some similarities to the November 1, 2013 shooting incident at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), it raises significant concerns regarding security at TSA screening checkpoints.

Marshall McClain, co-founding member of the AAAPO and President of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association (LAAPOA), stated, "The screening checkpoint is a uniquely vulnerable area within airports given that awaiting planes are located just beyond this area. Thus, in order to best protect our airports and their occupants, it is necessary to have a law enforcement officer within 300 feet of the TSA checkpoint to help fortify this area."

Paul Nunziato, co-founding member of AAAPO and President of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association (PAPBA) states, "We told the TSA Administrator in 2012, that we are concerned about police coverage of TSA screening areas. Neither me nor Marshall are rocket scientists or psychics, but our commons sense suggestions were ignored. Our officers provide a resource with intimate knowledge of threats to our airports. Airport police were the first responders to the incidences at LAX, San Francisco and New Orleans and those officers did their jobs, even with all the unnecessary impediments in their path. I hope a major catastrophe doesn't happen before the federal government finally acts on the things we put forth."

In September 2012, the AAAPO met with and sent a follow up letter to then-TSA Administrator John Pistole recommending that a law enforcement officer be stationed within 300 feet of the passenger screening area. This recommendation offers the flexibility of having an officer located close enough to the screening area to hear and see disturbances and respond to an incident without requiring that an officer be a sitting duck at a fixed podium location and have a target on them to a person seeking to do harm.

The shooting incident at LAX, the incident at New Orleans airport, and the numerous other dangerous and disturbing less high profile incidences that occur daily at our nation's airports reaffirm the need for an airport police officer to be stationed near the screening checkpoint. This action would stop those wishing to inflict harm from getting access to what makes these airports significantly different from any other areas of mass gatherings-airplanes.

While much time has passed since 9/11, airport police officers live a constant reminder of the lessons learned and are disappointed that leadership at TSA and DHS have ignored 5 basic recommendations that AAAPO made in person and writing to the Administer of the Transportation Security Administration in 2012. In the interim, lives were lost and people were irreparably injured, when it is possible that the threats could have been mitigated with simple, commonsense protocols that were explicitly laid out to them.

Various Members of Congress have afforded AAAPO a voice on the airport policing matters on which our officers are on the front lines. We appreciate the support of those Members who include Congressmen King, Waters, Pascrell, Roybal- Allard, Crowley, Cardenas, LoBiondo, Lance, Engel, Katko, Rice and Lowenthal as well the Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who has been a steadfast support of LAX police. Not all political leaders have extended our nation's law enforcement officers the respect they deserve, so we feel it is incumbent that we recognize those who do and thank them.

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The Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers’ Association (LAAPOA) represents the sworn police officers and firefighters of the Los Angeles Airport Police Department assigned to protect and serve Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY). For more information on LAAPOA, please visit www.LAAPOA.com.

The American Alliance of Airport Police Officers (AAAPO) is composed of rank-and-file airport police officers (including many dual police/aircraft rescue firefighters) who stand as the first line of defense against terrorist attacks, hijackings and other criminal activity at our nation's airports. AAAPO represents thousands of sworn law enforcement officers across the United States including rank-and-file airport police officers from John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, LA/ Ontario International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, Van Nuys Airport and Teterboro Airport.