Issue Date: 01/05/2010
Contact: Mayor's Office/Lisa Hansen
(213) 978-0658
LAWA/Nancy Suey Castles
(424) 646-5260
MAYOR VILLARAIGOSA REVIEWS AND INSPECTS LOS ANGELES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT SECURITY MEASURES
Following a security briefing with multiple law enforcement agencies at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa today concluded that the collaboration and innovation at LAX continue to make the airport a leader in safety and security, now and in the future.
“From our cooperation with federal agencies, to our implementation of full-body imaging and in-line baggage screening, we have approached security from every angle to make LAX a leader in airport safety and security,” said Mayor Villaraigosa. “While we modernize LAX to accommodate larger and faster jets, we are simultaneously modernizing security to protect the nearly 60 million travelers who use LAX every year.”
Many different agencies have a role in security at LAX, including the Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) Police Division, Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Customs & Border Protection (CBP), and others. Together, the agencies form a strong and dedicated force to prevent and identify threats.
"LAX is considered one of the leaders in airport security due to the continuing combined efforts of over 3,000 federal, state and local law enforcement officers at the airport,” said LAWA Airport Police Chief George R. Centeno. “We also are in constant contact with our international counterparts. Since Sept. 11, 2001, many new technologies, techniques and procedures have
been introduced with additional personnel to ensure the public's safety while at LAX and at our other LAWA airports in Southern California."
Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, LAX has implemented security measures including full-body imaging, in-line baggage screening, vehicle checkpoints, and other technologies and techniques.
In the Tom Bradley International Terminal (TBIT), LAX has begun using full-body imaging as part of secondary screening and is installing its In-Line Baggage Handling & Screening System. A second full-body imaging system is located in Terminal 5, with TSA planning to add more systems in the other airline terminals.
TBIT is currently undergoing a more than $750-million renovation program to include safety and passenger improvements. The renovation includes a new in-line checked baggage screening security facility which will reduce passenger congestion in the airline ticketing lobbies and convey bags from the ticketing counters through screening to departing flights.
The in-line baggage system is completed in Terminal 3 and later will be expanded into other terminals.
The Mayor also highlighted the airport’s vehicle checkpoints and bollards (planters) -- just two of the measures that the airport and partner agencies are using to reduce threats to the airport and travelers.
The vehicle checkpoints are deployed randomly via a system called “ARMOR: Assistant Randomized Motoring Over Routes.” Changing the location of vehicle checkpoints makes it much more difficult for potential attackers to plan for evading security. ARMOR was developed at LAX and has been in place for more than two years.
Vehicle checkpoints are in place every day at LAX, while most airports operate checkpoints sporadically. The checkpoints and bollards are two measures designed to help prevent a vehicle bomb in the Central Terminal Area.
LAX is considered one of the nation’s top terrorist targets due to its economic significance and high volume of passenger traffic. An average of 61 million passengers use LAX each year.
