The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Houston police patrol airports with AR-15s
Security experts say mass shooting risk calls for firepower.
Police officers are toting AR-15 rifles at Bush Intercontinental and Hobby airports this holiday season, the latest security enhancement as airports nationwide upgrade their firepower for an era of mass shootings using high-powered rifles.
“We just want to be able to match, hopefully, whoever is coming in with the threat of violence,” said Capt. Glenn Yorek with Houston Police Department’s airport division at Bush Intercontinental.
The open display of force might be jarring to some, but it’s pretty common at airports in other countries. And other U.S. airports are beginning to use them as well.
Local officers aren’t responding to a specific known threat, Yorek emphasized. Some officers keep these weapons in their vehicles. Openly carrying them is a precaution as roughly 1.23 million people will pass through Houston’s commercial airports during the 10-day Thanksgiving travel period.
“In today’s climate of what’s occurring throughout the world, it was time that Houston put another tool in their tool belt to combat any would-be violence,” Yorek said.
Airport and HPD officials have discussed carrying long guns for more than a year. HPD officers will carry the rifles during heightened travel periods, including Christmas and spring break, and following any major domestic incidents that could spur copycats.
It’s a sign of the times, and security experts predict such
measures will be adopted by more U.S. airports.
“It’s a staple of airport security throughout the world, and I’m surprised it took this long,” said Jeff Price, professor of aviation management at Metropolitan State University of Denver.
He said officers at Boston Logan International and Los Angeles International airports began carrying long guns after the Sept. 11 attacks.
Surges in other airports adopting the enhanced security occurred after the 2013 shooting in Los Angeles International, where a semi-automatic rifle was used to kill a Transportation Security Administration officer, and the January 2017 shooting in Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International, where a handgun was used to kill five people. Mass shootings in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs have only increased the urgency.
“As more incidents happen, then airport police departments find more and more support for doing it,” said Price, who is also the lead author of “Practical Aviation Security: Predicting and Preventing Future Threats.”
Price said the AR-15s allow police officers to match the
firepower an attacker could have. It’s also more accurate and stable than a pistol. Officers can shoot more rounds without having to adjust each time they pull the trigger.
There’s an intimidation factor that might deter attackers, too.
“It looks like a big scary gun to a lot of people, and that’s part of the intent,” Price said. “They want to look intimidating.” Proficiency course Police officers aren’t just handed the rifles. Yorek said his officers take a weeklong course to show proficiency in the weapon before they can carry it. They also receive training for active shooter scenarios. “Their training has changed to match the style of weapon that they’re carrying and to match the style of threat that they’re facing,” said Anthony Roman, president of global investigation and risk management firm Roman & Associates.
Roman said carrying long guns is just one part of an airport’s security. They’ve trained officers to identify suspicious behaviors and equipped them with bomb-sniffing dogs. Still, he says there’s room for improvement.