Steven Mace
02-07-2002, 08:59 PM
Wednesday February 06 07:08 PM EST
Armed CHP Officers Will Soon Take to the Air
By KPIX - Simon Perez
California is taking another step to combat terrorism.
Within months, armed California Highway Patrol officers will fly on many commercial flights within the state.
The plan is similar to the federal air marshal plan, in that armed officers will be on planes to battle would-be terrorists. But in the state plan, the officers will only work flights that they are already taking as part of their job.
The FAA (news - web sites) has been pushing to hire more air marshals since September 11th. The CHP officers would receive similar training, and be authorized to take their guns on in-state flights when they go to conferences or other work-related destinations. Last year, CHP officers took 7800 of those kinds of flights, which adds up to 10% of all in-state commercial air traffic in California.
Governor Gray Davis says he's been pushing for permission from the FAA for this program since the end of September. But finally, that approval came through.
"The California Highway Patrol will not be on every in-state flight," Davis said. "But when they do fly, they will fly in plainclothes, so neither the passengers, nor more importantly, would-be terrorists, will know whether or not they are on an individual flight. Traveling in plainclothes should provide an additional disincentive to terrorist activity."
It's still unclear whether all CHP officers will be able to carry their guns on the flights they take. Passing a marksmanship test could be a requirement. Also to be decided is whether the CHP will use special bullets that don't pierce a plane's fuselage. That's what federal air marshals use.
California is the first state in the union to put its own police officers on board planes. Training could begin as soon as next week, and could be finished within 60 days.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/kpix/20020206/lo/2409_1.html
Steve Mace
Armed CHP Officers Will Soon Take to the Air
By KPIX - Simon Perez
California is taking another step to combat terrorism.
Within months, armed California Highway Patrol officers will fly on many commercial flights within the state.
The plan is similar to the federal air marshal plan, in that armed officers will be on planes to battle would-be terrorists. But in the state plan, the officers will only work flights that they are already taking as part of their job.
The FAA (news - web sites) has been pushing to hire more air marshals since September 11th. The CHP officers would receive similar training, and be authorized to take their guns on in-state flights when they go to conferences or other work-related destinations. Last year, CHP officers took 7800 of those kinds of flights, which adds up to 10% of all in-state commercial air traffic in California.
Governor Gray Davis says he's been pushing for permission from the FAA for this program since the end of September. But finally, that approval came through.
"The California Highway Patrol will not be on every in-state flight," Davis said. "But when they do fly, they will fly in plainclothes, so neither the passengers, nor more importantly, would-be terrorists, will know whether or not they are on an individual flight. Traveling in plainclothes should provide an additional disincentive to terrorist activity."
It's still unclear whether all CHP officers will be able to carry their guns on the flights they take. Passing a marksmanship test could be a requirement. Also to be decided is whether the CHP will use special bullets that don't pierce a plane's fuselage. That's what federal air marshals use.
California is the first state in the union to put its own police officers on board planes. Training could begin as soon as next week, and could be finished within 60 days.
http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/kpix/20020206/lo/2409_1.html
Steve Mace