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Congresswoman Waters Calls LAX Security Failures Unacceptable; Urges Police Presence at Airport Passenger Screening Checkpoints

March 28, 2014

Today, Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA-43) called for security problems at LAX to be fixed immediately and urged that police officers be stationed at airport passenger screening checkpoints. She submitted her statement at a Congressional field hearing entitled "Lessons from the LAX Shooting: Preparing for and Responding to Emergencies at Airports," which was held at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) in her congressional district. The hearing was convened by the Transportation Security Subcommittee of the House Committee on Homeland Security in order to allow Members of Congress the opportunity to discuss reports released by both Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and potential changes to emergency response protocols at airports nationwide, in the wake of the recent active-shooter incident at LAX.

Remarks as prepared for delivery:

"I want to begin by joining with my colleagues to honor the life and service of Gerardo Hernandez, the Transportation Security Officer (TSO) who was killed in the line of duty during the active shooter incident on November 1st. I offer my deepest condolences to his family and friends. I also honor all of the TSO's, LAX police officers, and other first responders who risked their lives to stabilize the situation and protect the public on that tragic day.

"This hearing follows the release of two deeply disturbing reports on the November 1st incident, one by Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) and the other by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). I was appalled by what these reports revealed.

"It is simply unacceptable that the emergency red phones and panic buttons at LAX were not in good working order. It is unacceptable that problems in coordination between various police and fire departments resulted in multiple command posts at different locations that did not unify for 45 minutes. It is unacceptable that when a TSA agent picked up a red phone and then dropped it in haste while trying to escape, the airport police operator who answered the call had no way to determine where the call originated.

"It is simply unacceptable in this day and age that TSA and local police departments do not have fully compatible radio systems. Interoperability is a basic necessity for effective emergency response efforts. Police departments, fire fighters, and emergency medical personnel need to be able to talk to each other in an emergency.

"These problems must be fixed immediately. There can be no excuse for them. There can be no discussion of a lack of time or a lack of money. As the LAWA report pointed out, LAWA spends about $125 million on security every year, and that does not include security related capital investments. With this level of investment, LAX should have a state-of-the-art emergency response system.

"Our state has endured earthquakes, forest fires and floods. We have worked to develop disaster preparedness systems and to educate our citizens about what to do in the event of a catastrophe. If we are to expect our citizens to be prepared, we can expect no less of ourselves and our first response agencies.

"In addition to these obvious problems, I am deeply concerned about the need for a consistent law enforcement presence at TSA passenger screening checkpoints, such as the one where Officer Hernandez was killed.

"Following the shooting incident, I discussed airport security issues with leaders of the American Alliance of Airport Police Officers. Following our discussion, I wrote a letter to TSA Administrator John Pistole, in which I recommended that law enforcement officers be stationed within 300 feet of TSA passenger screening checkpoints. I have a copy of that letter with me today, and with the committee's consent, I will include it in the hearing record.

"I was pleased to learn that TSA was responsive to the concerns that I raised and addressed this issue in its report. Specifically, TSA issued recommended standards calling for an increased presence of law enforcement officers "at high traffic locations within the airport such as peak travel times at checkpoints and ticket counters." However, TSA still does not require that law enforcement officers be consistently present at these checkpoints, even during the aforementioned "peak travel times."

"The LAWA report, on the other hand, does not address this issue at all. LAWA implements a "flexible response" approach to security, which allows police officers to roam around the airport but does not require them to be present at the passenger screening checkpoints. The "fixed post" approach, by contrast, requires a police officer to be stationed at each passenger screening checkpoint. Airports and local police departments that support the "flexible response" approach have argued that this approach provides better visibility of police officers throughout the airport and less predictability for those who are intent on doing harm.

"I realize that a consistent law enforcement presence at TSA screening checkpoints is a controversial issue. However, I would argue that the "fixed post" and "flexible response" methods are not mutually exclusive. A major airport like LAX can have police officers at every screening checkpoint and still have additional officers patrolling the airport. If the United States Capitol complex where we work in Washington, DC, can have police officers stationed at security checkpoints, as well as additional officers patrolling the vicinity, then so can LAX.

"Some airports and local police departments have also argued that stationing a police officer at every screening checkpoint is too expensive. I find this argument particularly objectionable – if not downright offensive. We cannot compromise airport security in order to save money by paying fewer police officers!

"Regardless of which local, state or federal agency is responsible for stationing officers at TSA screening checkpoints, a consistent law enforcement presence at these checkpoints is critical. I therefore look forward to a frank discussion regarding TSA checkpoint security at today's hearing. However, I firmly believe that we should not adjourn this hearing until we reach an agreement on how to protect these vital security checkpoints.

"I look forward to hearing the views of the witnesses regarding ways to improve security at TSA screening checkpoints and throughout our nation's airports. More importantly, I look forward to learning more about the specific actions that have been taken to date by both TSA and LAWA to learn from the failures of November 1st and implement the recommendations for improved communication, coordination, and training.

"The safety and security of our nation's airports and all of the workers and travelers who pass though them is of paramount importance."

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