Airport police officers association wants all law enforcement officers to carry guns on flights
The Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association just issued a statement that supports authorizing all law enforcement officers to carry firearms aboard domestic flights.
Here's what the organization says:
Here's what the organization says:
LOS ANGELES - February 8, 2010 -- The nation's largest airport police association today advocated authorizing all law enforcement officers to carry firearms aboard domestic airline flights.
Marshall McClain, president of the Los Angeles Airport Peace Officers Association (LAAPOA), said the program proposed to the Obama Administration by the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA) is warranted in light of the recent attempt to detonate an explosive device aboard Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Christmas Day and recent intelligence that Al-Qaeda is likely to attempt a terrorist attack in the U.S. within the next six months.
"We believe that additional armed, trained law enforcement personnel aboard aircraft is a prudent measure to be taken at this time," said McClain. "We join FLEOA in urging President Obama to issue an Executive Order to authorize all law enforcement officers, active and retired, and certified by the Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act (LEOSA), to carry firearms aboard domestic flights as an added line of defense against terrorists."
The LEOSA of 2004 authorizes all law enforcement officers, active and retired, to carry firearms anywhere in the country, at any time, as long as they meet the criteria set forth in the act and qualify with their firearm on an annual basis. But they are only allowed to carry them aboard commercial airlines when traveling on official business and authorized by their department. The FLEOA maintains that all law enforcement officers who are LEOSA certified, and possess an annual medical clearance, are valuable assets that should be used to augment domestic flight coverage provided by federal air marshals.
FLEOA asked the President to direct the Federal Aviation Administration and the Transportation Security Administration to comply with an Executive Order authorizing LEOSA-certified law enforcement officers to fly armed. FLEOA believes that the Federal Air Marshal Service has the ability to coordinate this effort and this action is necessary at this time as an additional layer of security to safeguard the flying public."
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Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
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What are they gonna do? Shoot a couple holes in the airplane so the bomb gets sucked out into the air?
Rob,
A nice head shot will take care of it. But I suppose you will sue the officer from being traumatized at such violence. I'm also sure you will be the hero that will stand up and wrestle the terrorist to the ground.
Go back to your day job of complaining!!!
Rob,
You've got a serious problem. Police Officers are trained and your feeble attempt at a 'joke' is not even remotely close to being funny. This is a serious matter and your disrespect toward law enforcement in general is not welcomed. If you have a personal problem toward law enforcement, from perhaps a previous arrest, keep it to yourself. I believe United Flight 93 could have benefited from an armed Police Officer on the flight. Perhaps all of those HEROES could have survived.