As our country reflects on the 16th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, the American Alliance of Airport Police Officers (AAAPO) takes a moment to remember and honor the nearly 3,000 lives lost on this solemn date in history.

While 9/11 saw the loss of too many of our brothers and sisters, and friends and neighbors, this horrible incident also brought out the best in Americans. As people ran from the World Trade Center, Pentagon and a field in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, police officers, firefighters, first responders, military personnel and even civilians intuitively ran toward the danger. It was the worst day, but it brought out the very best in so many. However, many did not return. Many continue to suffer from the life-altering and, in some cases, life-taking aftereffects. To honor those individuals and those who gave the ultimate sacrifice, AAAPO commits to never stop seeking advancements to make our airports and the properties that we patrol safe and strong, and to do all we can to lessen the chance that anything like 9/11 or even the loss of one single life happens on our watch.

This senseless act of terrorism has forever ingrained in the police officers of AAAPO that everything in our power must be done to make sure something like this never happens again. AAAPO will continue to advocate for commonsense approaches to secure the nation’s airports to ensure that the lives lost on 9/11 will not be in vain, and AAAPO will not back down in working to close loopholes in the current security apparatus in order to protect travelers.

“On 9/11, the Port Authority Police lost 37 brave souls, and not a single moment passes that we do not remember those individuals and their families,” says Paul Nunziato, president of the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association and co-founder of AAAPO. “Our officers will never stop fighting for them and to protect all of us.”

“Our continued thoughts and prayers go out to the loved ones who were left behind and are still grieving 16 years later,” says Marshall McClain, president of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association and co-founder of the AAAPO. “To them, we promise to honor their sacrifice. Even when the anniversary cameras go away, we commit to doing the quiet work of taking care of our own. AAAPO commits to continuing our advocacy to highlight lessons learned, and moving forward, actions to support our efforts to never experience another tragedy like this on our soil again.”