Los Angeles World Airports

Transcription

1 Los Angeles World Airports LAX Ontario Van Nuys Palmdale City of Los Angeles Antonio R. Villaraigosa Mayor Board of Airport Commissioners AI an i. Rothenberg President Valeria C. Velasco Vice President Joseph A. Aredas Michael A. Lawson Sylvia Patsaouras Fernando M. Torres-Gil Walter Zifkin Lydia H. Kennard Executive Director Budget & Finance Committee Trade, Commerce & Tourism Committee Los Angeles City Council Room 395, City Hall 200 North Spring Street Los Angeles, California Subject: Council File Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Approval Requests Dear Councilmembers: In a recent budget hearing, the City Council approved a request by the Budget & Finance Committee that Los Angeles World Airports (LAW A) report periodically on its plans for hiring Airport Police Officers to reduce the use of Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) overtime at Los Angeles International Airport (LA). In adopting the Budget & Finance Committee report, the Council adopted a motion that LAW A report on funding and recruitment of Airport Police Officers to the Trade, Commerce, & Tourism Committee. In a memorandum dated May 3, 2006, addressed to the Chair of the Budget & Finance Committee, LAW A indicated that it plans to fill 77 existing vacancies plus 63 additional positions in the Airport Police Division. As a point of clarification, the filling of the 77 existing vacancies wil aliow LAWA to end its reliance on LAPD overtime while the 63 additional positions reflect the wishes of the Airport Police command staff to provide increased service levels in subsequent fiscal years. The Board of Airport Commissioners (BOAC) and LAW A management are committed to providing the resources that the Airport Police Division requires to carry out its mission in an efficient and cost-effective manner. On May 15, 2006, the BOAC adopted the enclosed resolution committing to provide "the necessary personnel and budgetary resources for Airport Police to provide complete and effective services as the primary law enforcement entity" at all LAW A airports. Our mission includes providing the federally-mandated law enforcement presence at each passenger screening checkpoint. As the members of the committees are aware, this service is now being provided at LAX by LAPD officers on voluntary overtime, which is reimbursed by LAWA. The process of transitioning the checkpoint duties to Airport Police will begin on July 1, 2006, when Airport Police will take over responsibilities for checkpoints in two terminals. 1 World Way P.O. Box Los Angeles California Telephone Internet

2 Budget & Finance and Trade, Commerce & Tourism Committees Page 2 Our plan is to gradually replace all LAPD overtime at passenger screening stations, with Airport Police Officers assuming that role airport-wide by March 31, LAWA will not require additional authorized positions beyond the 77 current vacancies to accomplish this. LAWA remains committed to filling its Airport Police vacancies as quickly as possible. As previously reported, LAWA can accept up to 20 academy-ready individuals per month. The Personnel Department and LAWA have developed a plan to provide approximately 15 individuals per month for academy training. Each prospective Airport Police officer requires approximately one year of training at the academy and at the airport. Not all candidates successfully complete the training, and there will be an undetermined amount of attrition among existing Airport Police officers during the coming months. We are encouraged that the candidate pool size is increasing as a result of several recent initiatives, which include a recruitment referral bonus for LAWA employees; an interactive website for candidates to apply for Airport Police positions on-line; and the opening of a recruiting, testing and processing center. LAWA's objective is to incentivize employees with a $1,000 reward for each candidate they refer to the Airport Police that successfully completes the academy training. Through the interactive website, eligible candidates may complete the application process online and if selected will report to the LA Job Opportunities Center followed for testing, training, and administrative processing. The LA Job Opportunities Center is a joint effort between LAWA and the Transportation Security Administration. In a related matter, LAWA has selected a Deputy Executive Director of Airport Law Enforcement & Protection Services, a new position authorized by City Council in March The new Director will take a fresh eyes look at Airport Police staffing as part of an overall assessment of airport-wide security provided by more than a dozen law enforcement agencies based at LA. By achieving optimal inter-agency coordination and cooperation, the precise number of Airport Police Officers needed for the long term will be better defined. We look forward to discussing these matters in Committee, and expect to submit a follow-up report on this subject before the end of the calendar year. If there are any questions regarding these issues, please contact Mr. Paul Haney, Deputy Executive Director for Airports and Security, at (310) Sincerely, LHK:MSA Enclosure - BOAC Resolution No cc: Councilmember Bernard Parks

3 Budget & Finance and Trade, Commerce & Tourism Committees Page 3 Councilmember Janice Hahn Councilmember Wendy Greuel Councilmember Jose Huizar Councilmember Greig Smith Councilmember Bill Rosendahl Councilmember Jack Weiss Gerry F. Miller, CLA William T Fujioka, CAO Board of Airport Commissioners

4 Los Angeles World Airports RESOLUTION NO WHEREAS, the Los Angeles Airport Police was established in 1946 and was given authority in 1968 to meet the specific law enforcement needs of the airport; and WHEREAS, the Airport Police consists of authorized head count of approximately 300 sworn offcers, 200 security offcers and 160 civilian employees; and LAX Ontario Van Nuys Palm dale City of Los Angeles Antonio R. Vil!araigosa Mayor Board of Airport Commissioners Alar. i. Rotlienberg President Valeria C. Velasco Vice President Josepli A. Aredas Michael A. Lawson Sylvia Patsaouras Fernando M. Torres-Gil Walter Zifkin Lydia H. Kennard Executive Director WHEREAS, the Airport Police and Los Ar.geles Police Department currently operate cooperatively at Los Angeles International Airport ("LAX") under the terms of a Memorandum of Agreement that details the responsibilities of each agency for law enforcement services at LA; and WHEREAS, the Airport Police is currently designated under California Penal Code Section , which limits the ability of Airport Police to fulfill its mission as the primary law enforcement entity at all Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) airports; and WHEREAS, designation of the Airport Police under Penal Code Section would provide additional required authority; and WHEREAS, the California Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission published a report in 2005 recommending that the Airport Police be designated under Section 830.1; and WHEREAS, Assembly Bil 1882, which would designate the Airport Police status under Section 830.1, is currently being considered by the State legislature; and WHEREAS, on February 21, 2006, the Board of Airport Commissioners unanimously approved Resolution No in support of Assembly Bil 1882; and WHEREAS, the City's Chief Legislative Analyst, the Peace Offcer Researèh Association of California, and a variety of other organizations have recommended support of Assembly Bil 1882; and WHEREAS, on April 28,2006, the City Council's Intergovernmental Relations Committee considered Assembly Bil 1882 but made no recommendation, and the Committee Chair requested that the Board clarify its intent to commit suffcient resources to provide for full staffing of Airport Police; and WHEREAS, this action, as a continuing administrative activity, is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Aricle II Section 2 (f) of the Los Angeles City CEQA Guidelines, as amended by the City Council on July 31,2002; and WHEREAS, actions taken on this item by the Board of Airport Commissioners will become final pursuant to the provisions of the Los Angeles City Charter Section 245; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Airport Commissioners reaffrmed its support for Assembly Bil 1882 that would designate LAWA's Airport Police as a law enforcement agency pursuant to Penal Code Section 830.1; and.. l''- - ~ ::'.-, ~; ".'

5 .. Resolution No BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Airport Commissioners is fully committed to providing the necessary personnel and budgetary resources for Airport Police to provide complete and effective service as the primary law enforcement entity at Los Angeles International, Ontario International, Van Nuys, and Palmdale Regional Airports I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of Resolution No adopted by the Board of Airport Commissioners at a Regular Meeting held Monday, May 15, 2006., Sandra J. Miler - Secretary BOARD OF AIRPORT COMMISSIONERS