Police Ask JFK Airport for Camera Access
Joe Cortez August 19, 2016
Frustration comes to light after false live shooter incident
Police agencies are asking for more access to live-view cameras at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), claiming that the access may have prevented panic and airport stoppages during a false live shooter incident. New York NBC affiliate WNBC reports the American Alliance of Airport Police Officers are asking the Transportation Security Administration for more access to airport cameras.
The call for more access comes after Terminal 8 at JFK was shut down on Sunday, August 14, for a report of shots fired. The report turned out to be a group of people cheering for the Olympics. During the incident, the terminal was evacuated and flights temporarily halted until airport police could appraise the situation.
The Port Authority Police Benevolent Association told WNBC officers only have access to two live cameras at the airport. Neither camera gave view to the situation taking place during the call for help. Although it is possible supervisors may have access to additional cameras, they were not on duty – which ultimately forced the call to investigate the situation.
“The feeds are there, they are just not accessible to us,” Frank Conti, first vice president of the American Alliance of Airport Police Officers, told WNBC. “The officers on that police desk who are dispatching units to go into a dangerous area don’t have those cameras to fall back on.”
In addition, New York senator Charles Schumer is calling on both Port Authority Police and the TSA to provide a debrief on the situation. In a statement to the television station, the Port Authority noted the video was reviewed as part of the incident investigation, but declined further comment about their “multi-layered security approach.”
[Photo: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS]
