Lehigh Valley,
PA - In light of the tragic shooting in Los Angeles and the
various media reports that have followed, the Lehigh-Northampton
Airport Authority (LNAA) would like to make the following information
about airport security available to travelers using Lehigh Valley
International Airport (LVIA). In our opinion, some of the statements
by government agencies, public officials and the media were misleading
and did not accurately describe the level of security currently
existing at all airports in the United States and particularly at
Lehigh Valley International Airport (LVIA).
Airplanes in
flight are uniquely vulnerable to criminal acts or terrorism and
need to be protected by special security measures such as passenger
screening and baggage searches. LNAA believes that a fully effective
system to accomplish those activities needs to be put in place as
soon as practicable.
Airports, however,
are potential targets for such acts, but are not unlike any other
public places where large numbers of people gather (e.g., churches,
schools, movie theaters, or shopping malls). Security must be provided
that is appropriate and correct given the potential of the threat.
All commercial airports of significant size including LVIA have
had a permanent law enforcement presence since the early seventies,
and over the years that presence has increased. Today, LNAA provides
an Airport Police force of eleven full-time officers and four to
six part-time officers. These individuals are fully trained and
certified law enforcement officers under Pennsylvania law, and have
had additional training in aviation security and anti-terrorism.
These officers patrol the airport, including all areas of the terminal.
They secure the perimeter, support the passenger screening process
and handle all law enforcement duties including enforcement of the
local, state and federal laws and Airport Rules and Regulations.
The force is
commanded by a veteran law enforcement professional. At peak times
there may be a few hundred people on the airport property. During
those periods there are more police officers per capita on the airport
than at any other location in the Lehigh Valley. Like most airports
in the United States LVIA has a very low crime rate, with only one
or two felony arrests each year. Our police cooperate and maintain
Mutual Aid Agreements (formal and informal) with other law enforcement
agencies, and we provide one officer to the Lehigh County SWAT unit.
There are always
officers on duty in the terminal during commercial flight operations
and all areas of the terminal are subject to 24 hour/continuous
closed circuit television surveillance. Passengers should be assured
that they are well-protected when they use LVIA.
LNAA supports
increased security at airports to respond to the current threat
of illegal activities, provided those measures are effective and
reasonable. We do not support suggestions that airports be restricted
to passengers only or that all passengers be screened before entering
the terminal. Simply moving the cues and concentration of waiting
passengers from the ticket counters to the curbside or roadways
does nothing to improve security. It simply creates a new and more
vulnerable location for terrorist acts and reverses principles of
customer service/care.
LNAA is prepared
to increase police presence, if required, to combat any increased
threat, but adding costly new federal police to duplicate the work
of local police already in place makes no sense, and would waste
resources needed for other homeland security missions. Knee-jerk
reactions like those exhibited on the Sunday talk shows have no
place in creating a long-term defense to this new threat.
