CAA: GA News, "Venice, Florida airport security a balancing act"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Sunday, January 13, 2002

Venice airport security a balancing act
Managers aim to increase protection without adding frustration
The South Florida Sun Herald


Like all small, general aviation facilities across the country, Venice
Municipal Airport has faced a dilemma since Sept. 11: How to make the
airport more secure without hindering the businesses that are the
facility's lifeblood.

Airport general manager Larry Heath said the security focus has changed
since Sept. 11.

"Our primary purpose prior to Sept. 11 with the fences, gates and police
patrols was to control vehicle movement on airport property," Heath
said, "protecting the public from unwittingly driving out onto the
flight line or runway, or someone from walking into a propeller.

"Since Sept. 11, we have to be concerned with who has a right to be
here."

Heath said he knows there are holes in airport security and is trying to
plug them.

"But every time we plug a hole, we cause an irritation for our
customers."

Heath said airport businesses have a right to expect their customers
will encounter as few impediments as possible while still maintaining
security.

Rudi Dekkers, owner of Huffman Aviation Inc., said in addition to
propeller locks (chains with a padlock that go around the propeller hub)
to prevent a thief from stealing a plane, he has some other security
ideas.

"We are going to put all our people in uniforms," Dekkers said, "and
we're going to give them picture IDs. If they don't have a picture ID or
are not with somebody who does, they should not be on the ramp."

Dekkers said he would like to see the Federal Aviation Administration
issue picture IDs for all pilots.

"It would be so simple," Dekkers said, "and would solve 90 percent of
the problems."

Dekkers said the picture ID would be recognized at all airports.

Commercial airline pilots currently wear photo IDs.

"We all feel like we should have some kind of pass," Don Shipman, a
Huffman worker said.

Shipman was the only airport worker to challenge a Sun reporter who went
for a walk along the flight line twice last week (see related story).
Dekkers said he told his employees to "nicely" challenge anyone they see
who doesn't look like they belong after learning about the reporter
having unquestioned access to the airport.

Shipman merely asked the reporter, "My I help you?"

Coy Jacob, president of Mooney Mart/Mod Squad, another airport tenant,
said there is a difference between what he called "eyewash" and genuine
security at Venice airport.

"We need intelligent security, intelligent people who can make
on-the-spot decisions," Jacob said. "We need to be mindful they don't
drive business away from the airport with unintelligent security
measures."

As an example, Jacob said it is absurd to think that an elderly man or
woman who flies in has to carry a heavy piece of luggage all the way
from the plane to a waiting car.

"Why not let the car out onto the ramp to pick them up?" he said.
"That's what I mean by intelligent security, people who know these
people obviously are not terrorists."

Besides, Jacob said, terrorists are able to circumvent most law
enforcement measures.

"You can't stop a determined individual," he said.

Police patrols

Venice Deputy Police Chief Dan McGoogan said there is a police officer
patrolling the airport seven days a week from 3:30 p.m. to 7 a.m.

However, McGoogan said, there is no officer in the morning or early
afternoon Monday through Friday.

"We're in the stage of identifying the problems, trying to establish
where we're at," McGoogan said, "but it's not where we want to be yet
because it's more complicated than it might appear."

On Nov. 27, the Venice City Council approved a $108,000 expenditure for
hiring three additional police officers to patrol the airport. The money
will come from the municipal airport fund.

Unfortunately, McGoogan said the hiring process takes time.

"We don't have a ready reserve of applicants, and we have to go through
that process," McGoogan said. "We have actually hired one of the three
already, but he's being trained."

McGoogan said he hopes the two remaining officers will be hired and
trained so they can begin airport patrols by April.

At that time, the airport will have 24-hour-a-day security, McGoogan
said.

He also said security will go beyond police patrols.

"One of the things we are looking at doing is training airport employees
to be an extension of the police officers," McGoogan said.

Cooperative effort

McGoogan said that so far, police and airport officials have had
positive responses from airport businesses regarding the identification
of potential security problems.

He also said police and airport personnel must build their security
around government and FAA regulations.

"The leaseholders have certain rights, too," McGoogan said. "It isn't an
easy task when you have to consider all those underlying factors."

Officials say people must understand the commercial and public needs of
the airport complex.

"We don't want a police state, but we want to balance control of access
with heightened alert," Heath said.

McGoogan said addressing security needs at the airport is a work in
progress and will be for some time to come.

"I hope the public will be patient," McGoogan said. "We simply cannot
turn it into an armed camp."


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