LOS ANGELES, CA – The $5-billion Landside Access Modernization Program (LAMP) at LAX, which will include a landside Automated People Mover, a Consolidated Rent-A-Car facility, multiple Intermodal Transportation Facilities, and a comprehensive network of roadway improvements, will help ensure LAX continues to be a world-class facility while also facilitating the movement of millions of travelers and employees into and out of the airport.  However, with the expansion of these facilities, public safety must be at the forefront of consideration.

LAX served nearly 75 million passengers in 2015 and with these new projects getting underway, the airport is likely to see millions of more passengers in the not too distant future.  Inexplicably, with so many people moving in and around the airport, there are currently no plans to include a police substation or additional police facilities to accommodate these modernization efforts.

Former LAXPD Chief Patrick Gannon has again been silent in advocating for additional facilities or substations for airport police to handle the large volume of travelers that will access the Automated People Mover, car rental facility, and additional transportation facilities. Airport management neglected, and Chief Gannon did not advocate, to include a substation in the upgrading of the Tom Bradley International Terminal and it appears they are making the same mistake twice by failing to take into account police facilities when designing the LAMP projects.  LAAPOA believes that in order to properly and safely patrol these new and evolving sectors of the airport, we must have a substation or facility to work from given the millions of additional travelers and employees that will be moving in and out of the area.

“LAAPOA is excited about the possibilities the LAMP will bring to our airport and are glad these new infrastructure changes will make it easier for travelers to get to and leave the airport,” said Marshall McClain, President of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association.  “However, these new travel improvements will being more people into the area and we need to be ready to deal with the crowds and heavy loads of passengers that are inevitable.  While Chief Gannon has not encouraged the inclusion of a substation or public safety facility, we are hopeful our next chief will.”