More Travelers, Less Officers

Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is on par to, if not larger than, many small cities. It is the 2nd busiest airport in the country, served a record-breaking 74.9 million passengers in 2015, is undergoing a massive expansion of its international terminal and landside areas and continues to be the #1 terrorist target on the west coast. Despite the significant passenger loads and dynamic environment, there are less officers patrolling the airport today than in 2010. Read More »

Drones are coming. Are we ready?

The airspace in and around LAX is ground zero for drone-related incidents. While the growing number of sightings between drones and airplanes have, for now, only been close encounters, it is just a matter of time before something more serious, and potentially tragic, takes place. With the FAA’s announcement this week that there are more registered drones than there are registered airplanes, we must act now. Read More »

It’s Time to Tackle Airport Police Inequity

Last year, we addressed pay and pension inequality issues in the context of LAXPD’s “separate but equal” status compared to the LAPD, and how lesser benefits negatively affect recruitment and retention efforts and ultimately hamper officers’ ability to provide the highest level of airport security. We also pointed out how the pay disparity plays out in the form of gender inequality, with highly qualified, higher-ranking female airport officers being paid less than the LAPD officers whom they train. Read More »

LAXPD Protects Travelers. We shield you.

The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Police Department is the local law enforcement agency that patrols and secures LAX, Ontario and Van Nuys airports, and serves as the first line of defense in preventing terrorist attacks, hijackings and other public safety emergencies at our airports. The LAXPD protects travelers, airport employees and our surrounding communities. Read More »

The Pension Battle Subsides…for Now

On January 18, former San Diego City Councilman Carl DeMaio and former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed announced their decision not to go forward this year with either of their statewide ballot initiatives attacking public employee pensions. This sounds like great news for labor unions — and indeed, the fact that these poorly written, extreme and destructive measures failed to inspire donors to cough up the $3 million needed to gather qualifying signatures, let alone the $25 million that would then be required to wage a campaign, is a promising sign. Read More »

How to Handle an Active-Shooter Situation

As we have unfortunately seen in previous incidents at LAX and the recent spate of violent events both close to home and abroad, encountering an active-shooter scenario, while unlikely, is still not out of the realm of possibility for any of us during our daily activities. Because active shooters seek to take as many lives as they can in as short a period as possible — before law enforcement arrives — it’s important to know what to do in case the worst happens. Read More »

California Fair Pay Act Puts Spotlight on Los Angeles and Female Police Officers

The Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers’ Association, which represents the sworn police officers and firefighters of the Los Angeles Airport Police Department assigned to protect and serve Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), LA/Ontario International Airport (ONT) and Van Nuys Airport (VNY), released the following statement regarding California Governor Jerry Brown’s signing of the California Fair Pay Act. Read More »

Officers Are a Part of the Community

In the ongoing media coverage about the breakdown between police and the community, an important fact is repeatedly missed: The reality is that officers are not independent of society. They are – and have always been – not only participants but leaders in the areas where they live and serve. Read More »

It’s Déjà Vu All Over Again: The Newest Attack on Pensions

Remember last year’s initiative aimed at restructuring California’s public employee pensions, put forth by former San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed? After suing Attorney General Kamala Harris over the title and summary description of the measure — and losing — plus facing the high unlikelihood of gathering 800,000 signatures in time to make the November 2015 ballot, Reed withdrew the measure. Read More »