"Airport groups oppose TSA plan"

Monday, April 2, 2007

Airport groups oppose TSA plan 
By Thomas Frank
USA TODAY


WASHINGTON - Three major airport groups, in a joint letter, are protesting a
government proposal that they say could make terminals less secure by
weakening the authority of airport police.

The groups ask the Transportation Security Administration to drop a proposal
they say would undermine security by barring airport police from closing
checkpoints in emergencies. Giving closure authority only to the TSA "may
compromise the safety and security" of travelers, says the letter obtained
by USA TODAY.

"Police shut down streets, they shut down buildings. You don't have time to
wait around" for the TSA, said Tim Kimsey, president of the Airport Law
Enforcement Agencies Network, a group of airport police departments. "If you
have a person breach the checkpoint with a gun, you don't want another 200
people going through screening that could become hostages."

The network detailed its concerns in a four-page letter to the TSA written
with the American Association of Airport Executives and the Airports Council
International, which represent airport managers and directors. The February
letter - the second or third that Kimsey said the groups have written
jointly to the TSA - protests the agency's ongoing efforts to force security
measures on airports.

"It's frustrating having them come down with directives that we feel are
contrary to good law enforcement practices, that are extremely expensive and
that impact airport operations," Kimsey said.

Charles Chambers, head of security for the airports council, said TSA
leaders are also "going beyond their regulatory authority" with a separate
proposal to require airports to prevent their stores from selling items
barred from airplanes.

TSA Administrator Kip Hawley said the proposals would not weaken security
but acknowledged extra cost and responsibility for airports. "It's a heck of
a lot of money they're putting up, and they want to be sure their money is
for effective security," he said. 

The TSA is considering airports' comments and plans to finalize the proposal
by May.

Hawley said the proposal aims to strengthen security, as the terrorism
threat level for the airline sector has been high since August, when
authorities said they had foiled a plot to bomb U.S.-bound planes. Hawley
said he wants police and TSA security directors working together on
decisions such as closing checkpoints.

The airport groups said security might also be weakened by a TSA proposal
that they say would require airports to give written details about where and
when their police patrol each day. 

"That really flies in the face of basic law enforcement," Kimsey said.
Police need to be unpredictable, and if they have to follow a schedule, "bad
guys can figure out routines," Kimsey said.

Hawley said the TSA wants to avoid duplicating airport police actions. "To
coordinate," he said, "we have to know what they are doing."

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