300 Foot Rule Will Increase Airport Security and Deter Attackers
LOS ANGELES - Due to increased attacks targeting airports, the American Alliance of Airport Police Officers (AAAPO) is asking U.S. lawmakers to support legislation, HR 5720—The Checkpoint Safety Act of 2016, that would require an armed police officer within 300 feet of TSA screening checkpoints at major airports. We are calling on Congress to support legislation that will secure American airports.
Yesterday, Paul Ciancia, the gunman who opened fire in November 2013 at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), killing one TSA officer and injuring three others, plead guilty to all pending federal charges. Inside the terminal, he repeatedly fired shots at airport police officers and travelers before he was shot and captured by airport police. Though the eventual firefight wounded the shooter and allowed his capture, Ciancia wreaked havoc at LAX and disrupted travel for nearly 170,000 passengers.
Simple, common sense security reforms can help to prevent, manage and contain future airport incidents.
A lack of armed airport police officers at TSA checkpoints, creates an environment where potential attackers are not deterred from attacking high value targets and may even be encouraged to identify airports as prime locations for future attacks. The message is simple: armed officers within 300 feet of screening checkpoints significantly boosts the security of American airports and gives law enforcement the ability to quickly shutdown incidents before they escalate. Paul Ciancia’s deliberate attack at LAX three years ago should serve as a reminder to us all that having an armed police presence at screening checkpoints at major airports could have prevented the tragic loss of a life of a TSA officer.
“We can’t stand idly by as attackers feel encouraged to target U.S. airports and take more innocent lives,” said Marshall McClain, President of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association, and co-founder of the AAAPO. “Let’s continue to keep Americans safe by doing everything in our power to help our officers do their job.”
“Time and time again we’ve called for having police officers be stationed within 300 feet of TSA, but our calls for this simple increase in security have been ignored,” said Paul Nunziato, President of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, and co-founder of the AAAPO. “How many more incidents like the one in LAX will it take before Congress wakes up?”
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The American Alliance of Airport Police Officers (AAAPO) is comprised 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. We seek to promote security and safety for the traveling public, visitors and airport employees by highlighting best practices and identifying areas for improvement and proposed solutions for our nation’s airport security deployment. AAAPO focuses on regulatory issues that promote our efforts to provide the most advanced and cutting-edge service innovations and security processes in our nation and the world. Our organization represents thousands of sworn law enforcement officers across the United States beholden only to this mission. We are unencumbered by neither political nor managerial constraints that would prevent us from promoting sound public safety policy.
The founding members of the American Alliance of Airport Police Officers are comprised of numerous 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; Stewart International Airport; and Teterboro Airport.
