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.