MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA OPENS NEW RECRUITMENT AND TRAINING CENTER
AT LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Facility Is First Among U.S. Airports Dedicated To Hiring, Training Federal Transportation Security Officers and Airport Police Officers
(Los Angeles, California – August 16, 2006) Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa and officials from Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) opened today a new recruitment and training center at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The center is the first such facility at a U.S. airport to be dedicated to recruiting, testing and training federal Transportation Security Officers (TSOs) and Airport Police officers, and underscores the close cooperation between LAWA and the TSA.
The two-story, 22,000-square-foot facility is located one mile east of the airport's Central Terminal Area at 5520 Arbor Vitae in Westchester.
Mayor Villaraigosa said, "Jobs creation is one of the cornerstones of my administration. Los Angeles International Airport is a tremendous economic asset to our City. Over 50,000 people work at LAX, and another 350,000 Southern Californians indirectly owe their jobs to operations at the airport. A hundred jobs become available every month at the over 300 employers at LAX. I'm committed to ensuring that people who are looking for jobs learn about these opportunities."
"The establishment of the LAX Recruitment & Training Center is tangible evidence of the excellent relationship between the Transportation Security Administration and Los Angeles World Airports to ensure the public's safety and airport security," said Lydia H. Kennard, LAWA executive director.
"Over 2,000 Transportation Security Officers are serving the traveling public at LAX," said TSA Federal Security Director-LAX Lawrence Fetters. “The fact that our security screening operations are going smoothly – and that we were able to respond quickly to the new security measures implemented last week – is a testament to the excellent relationship we have with LAWA and the City of Los Angeles. The success of the TSA this Summer at LAX can be directly attributed to this facility, as it helped us accelerate our hiring program in time to meet our needs for this summer's peak travel period."
The Transportation Security Administration, which leases 3,300 square feet of the building, provides computers for job applicants to access the TSA's on-line job application program and conducts computer-based tests, candidate interviews, background fingerprinting, color vision and other simple physical ability tests. The federal agency also conducts week-long classroom training of newly hired federal TSOs, who perform passenger and checked luggage security screening at LAX. The TSA has over 2,000 full-time equivalent TSO positions at LAX. The agency also is looking at making its testing and training facility available to TSA operations at other Southern California airports.
Los Angeles Airport Police, the primary law enforcement agency at LAX, is consolidating its recruiting, testing and training activities – currently dispersed at several airport locations – into the new center. Airport Police will offer job applicant testing on a weekly, drop-in and one-day expedited basis at the center, as well as conduct assessments and interviews. New hires will also begin a month-long, pre-academy training at the new center where recruits are familiarized with the skills necessary for success in the police academy, including study skills, test-taking and physical fitness. After graduating from the police academy, Los Angeles Airport Police officers will continue with weeks-long, airport-security specific training in the new facility.
The new center also will be used for Continuing Professional Training of current Airport Police officers in areas such as arrest and control, National Incident Management System, legal updates, and other skill sets necessary to ensure the safety and security of LAWA airports and compliance with California Police Officers Standards & Training (POST) requirements.
Los Angeles Airport Police currently has nearly 400 authorized sworn officer positions at LAX, plus traffic officers and security officers.
At the building's opening today, Los Angeles Airport Police also announced the launch of its new Internet website at www.laxpd.com, where information about the Airport Police recruitment process and training is available.
The new facility complements the activities of LAWA's Small Business & Jobs Resources Center at 6150 West Century Boulevard in Westchester. There, job seekers can review current job openings for on-airport and airport-area employers and Los Angeles City and County; submit job applications to employers; use on-site fax machine, copier, and Internet access for a job search; create resumes and cover letters; and find out about job fairs and recruiting events. Businesses can also use the Small Business & Jobs Resources Center to review contract and purchasing opportunities available throughout the four LAWA airports: LAX, Ontario International, Van Nuys and Palmdale Regional.
The building is a former private school that was sold recently to Los Angeles World Airports as part of the agency's Residential Acquisition Program, which is one of LAWA’s major noise mitigation and management efforts. The building was run down and overgrown with vegetation when LAWA acquired it. All renovations and build-out of the facility were completed by LAWA Construction & Maintenance personnel.
