Law Enforcement Officer program at airport headed to ‘crossroads’ if funding not restored

PITTSTON TWP. — At Thursday’s meeting of the Bi-County Airport Board, Walter Griffith, Luzerne County Controller, expressed concern about the Law Enforcement Officer program that provides security at the airport’s Transportation Security Administration (TSA) station.

Griffith said Luzerne County has been paying $12,000 per month to staff an officer at the airport since the federal funding for the program was discontinued.

“I think the airport needs to find out of the funding will be restored,” Griffith said. “Luzerne County should not have to pay for this program.”

In 2021, 10 new employees are in the District Attorney’s Office were hired, including eight new part-time airport police officers who would be paid $18 per hour.

At that time, the county agreed that the DA’s office would provide law enforcement coverage for all Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport departing flights, with the airport covering the staffing costs. County DA Sam Sanguedolce said new airport officers would be limited to 1,000 hours per year of work and won’t be eligible for county health insurance or pension benefits.

The TSA screens passengers and baggage but requires that the airport provide officers with arrest powers at a podium near its checkpoint. Airport officials asked county DA Sam Sanguedolce to handle the law enforcement, saying Avoca Borough had opted to stop providing that coverage.

According to an online TSA posting, its screening officers don’t have authority to arrest passengers. They require law enforcement assistance when travelers try to evade or interfere with the screening process, carry prohibited or illegal items or are on a “Be on the Lookout” list, unruly or suspected to be in danger or traveling against their will, it said.

Sanguedolce said a mix of existing DA task force officers and new part-time police officers were assigned to provide the daily coverage on two shifts from 4 a.m. to noon and noon to 8 p.m., with additional hours required if a flight is delayed.

Sanguedolce said historically, the federal government would reimburse for the officers to be staffed at airport TSA stations across the U.S.

“That funding was cut,” Sanguedolce said. “And now it has become an issue”

Sanguedolce said he is hoping to have the funding restored, and he has met with U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright to urge them to do all they can.

“I’m optimistic, but sometimes Washington moves at a snail’s pace,” Sanguedolce said. But this expense for us is just not sustainable.”

Sanguedolce said his office can support the LEO program until the end of 2024.

“If something doesn’t happen to restore the funding, we we would be at a crossroads,” Sanguedolce said. “Our county has a tight budget, so we would have to see if grant funding would be available. We have to find a solution.”

Sanguedolce said there have been several violent incidences at the airport and guns have been detected in carry-on bags of boarding passengers.

Romilda Crocamo, Luzerne County Manager, said the county stands in solidarity with the Sanguedolce and the Law Enforcement Officers (LEOs) at the airport. Crocamo expressed disappointment in the federal government’s failure to include airport safety in the recent budget.

“While we understand the complex nature of budget allocations, the omission of airport safety is concerning,” Crocamo said. “The safety and security of all individuals utilizing our airport should remain a top priority.”

Crocamo commended Sanguedolce for his exceptional oversight and dedication to the LEO program at the airport.

“His leadership has played a crucial role in maintaining a secure environment for both travelers and airport staff,” Crocamo said. “Luzerne County reaffirms its commitment, alongside our partners from Lackawanna County, and the airport, to provide the utmost safety and protection for everyone utilizing our airport facilities. We will continue to work diligently to ensure that the necessary resources and support are available to our dedicated LEOs.”

Crocamo added, “The safety of our community and the traveling public is of paramount importance to us, and we will advocate for increased funding and resources to enhance airport security measures. We call upon the Federal Government to prioritize airport safety in future budget considerations to guarantee the highest level of protection for all.”

Sen. Casey involved

On May 15, Sen. Casey sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, urging them to fully fund the TSA State Canine Reimbursement Program at $34,088,000 and the TSA Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Reimbursement Program at $47,182,000.

Casey wrote:

“The Canine Reimbursement Program and Law Enforcement Officer Reimbursement Program help airports across the country, particularly small- and medium-sized hubs, provide the necessary security to keep passengers safe, offer rapid response times, and deploy trained canines to detect explosives or explosive material, while also supporting airports’ compliance with federal standards for law enforcement response times.

“The Law Enforcement Officer Reimbursement Program partially reimburses airports to maintain enhanced law enforcement support, including dedicated on-site support for passenger screening checkpoints.

“Failing to fund these programs would place an undue burden on airports, particularly small- and medium-sized airports, to fund these programs themselves, and would restrict airports’ ability to maintain an onsite law enforcement presence, deploy specially-trained canines, and result in a lower level of security and increase in law enforcement response times at our nation’s airports.

Casey’s letter also noted that not funding the Law Enforcement Officer Reimbursement Program would results in “many commercial airports to likely have no law enforcement presence on-site during TSA screening operations, while others will experience significantly increased law enforcement officer response times to incidents at the TSA checkpoints.”

Casey stated in the letter that maintaining security at our nation’s airports is vital to ensuring the safety of travelers.

Other airport business

During Carl Beardsley’s report to the Bi-County Airport Board on Thursday, he described passenger activity at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport in one word — “growth.”

Beardsley, executive director at the airport, couldn’t wait to deliver his report to the board, noting that passenger enplanements for the month of June 2024 increased 33.9% to 19,812 — up from 14,796 in the month of June 2023.

Beardsley also reported that in June 2024, two departing flights were cancelled, both for Air Traffic Control/weather issues.

“This accounts for 115 (0.5%) out of a total of 23,520 departure seats,” Beardsley said. “Also, five arriving flights were cancelled, all for ATC/weather.

“Boarding is up 33.9%,” Beardsley said. “Seat availability is up 32.8% and load factors are at 85% — these are very strong numbers.”

Beardsley also reported that for June 2024, General Aviation had 1,467 operations (one take-off or one landing) which is an increase of 75.7% from June 2023.