LOS ANGELES, CA – The American Alliance of Airport Police Officers (AAAPO) is extremely concerned and alarmed by the attacks in Brussels and offers its condolences to all the innocent people affected.

This incident, along with last fall’s Metrojet plane bombing and the two Paris-bound Air France flights that were diverted due to bomb threats, again reinforces that airports and aircraft continue to be high priority targets for terrorists.

Though we believe it would be inappropriate to comment while the Belgian authorities conduct their investigation, it is the position of the AAAPO for all American airports and overseas facilities to bolster security and policing efforts to protect the public and ensure commercial aviation, one of America’s most important economies, operates in a safe and secure manner.

“The terrorist attacks in Belgium are devastating and our thoughts go out to all who are impacted,” said Marshall McClain, co-founder of the AAAPO and President of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association.  “However, this incident is not wholly unpredictable.  Airports are consistently identified as a top pursuit of terrorists which means we should take all reasonable steps to protect them.”

“Our sympathies are with the families who lost loved ones in the Brussels attacks,” said Paul Nunziato, co-founder of the AAAPO and President of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Police Benevolent Association. “We must remain vigilant in protecting our airports and our officers stand ready to defend the traveling public and airport employees from ongoing security threats.”