LAWA RESPONSE TO INQUIRIES REGARDING AIRPORT POLICE OFFICER BEHAVIOR AT LAX PASSENGER SCREENING STATION PODIUMS
The following is a response by Los Angeles World Airports officials to inquiries generated by a local radio station’s airing segments today alleging that Los Angeles Airport Police officers are not performing their duties while assigned to podiums located adjacent to the federal passenger security screening stations inside each terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Airport Police officers are assigned to each terminal to provide law enforcement support, if needed, to federal transportation security officers who screen passengers before they board flights.
1. LAX remains one of the safest airports in the country and one of the safest areas in all of Southern California as reflected in our continuing drop in the number of reported crimes, even while the number of passengers rise. Reduced crime, coupled with no significant security breaches, speaks for itself.
a. LAWA just released its first-half 2010 crime statistics showing
major crimes (violent crimes against people such as homicide,
rape, robbery and aggravated assault are nearly non-existent at LAX
with only one aggravated assault and resulting arrest)
b. Total number of all types of crime decreased 6 pecent to 1,146
incidents during the first six months of 2010 compared to the same
period last year.
2. Former Airport Police Assistant Chief Frank Fabrega’s comment in an e-
mail to supervisors that there have been “many complaint letters and e-
mails” about the behavior of police officers at the podiums could not be
substantiated during a public records request search for such letters
and e-mails.
a. However, a local radio reporter apparently has a copy of an e-mail
forwarded June 14, 2010, from the Transportation Security
Administration at LAX to former Chief Fabrega. The information in the
e-mail does not identify the officer or the time of the flight or provide a
description. Assistant Chief Fabrega could have handled this two
ways: (1) send out a generic memo reminding officers of their use of
cellphones and the perception passengers may develop because of the
officers’ actions, or (2) turn it over to Internal Affairs for a formal
investigation. Apparently, former Chief Fabrega elected to handle it by
the first option.
3. One written complaint that LAWA is now aware of during the past year
from among 56.5 million passengers does NOT indicate a serious
problem.
4. LAWA officials consider distributing memos to employees reminding
them of what they are supposed to do is part of good management
practice and effective supervision. Such memos should NOT be
interpreted that a serious problem exists.
5. Airport Police and LAWA executives are unaware of any written
complaints from air lines or other LAX tenants. Airport Police meets
weekly and communicates daily with TSA, and TSA has confirmed to
LAWA that they do not have any issues with performance by Airport
Police officers at the podiums.
a. NO Internal Affairs cases have been opened regarding Airport Police
officers behavior at the podiums.
6. We believe the issue is about perception. We caution uninformed
observers against jumping to wrong conclusions that officers at the
podiums are “goofing off.”
a. If one sees several officers congregating at a podium, it’s very likely that
more than one is assigned to the podium as mandated by TSA. TSA
requires a certain ratio of officers to the number of screening lanes that
are in operation. Almost all of the LAX terminals require more than one
officer at the podium during different times of day. Officers standing in
a small group also might be de-briefing one another during a transition
from one shift to another, or from officers on patrol beat rotating to
the podium, or other police-related activities.
b. If one sees an officer speaking on a cellphone or texting, the officer
could be conducting police business or trying to handle a personal
emergency, and not conducting a casual personal call.
c. What is important is effective supervision. If there are any observations
or complaints about an Airport Police officer’s behavior, then all reports
are investigated, an understanding of the circumstances reached, and
the complaint resolved. If the behavior is found to be inappropriate
and not corrected, then disciplinary measures should be taken.