Lack of Security Cameras at Airports Criticized

Lack of Security Cameras at Airports Criticized

This post is also available in: heעברית (Hebrew)

US Senator Charles Schumer called on federal authorities to probe security at New York airports, pointing to a recent report that highlights security “blind spots” at La Guardia and Newark airports.

He asked the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to investigate area airports, citing the lack of security cameras in baggage claim, pickup and drop-off areas and facility food courts.

According to Epoch Times, a recent investigative report by NBC found these areas at LaGuardia Airport and Newark Airport do not contain a unified surveillance camera system, leaving these areas at-risk in the event of a future terror attack, like the most recent attack in Turkey, which occurred in a similar ‘soft-target’ area. The report pointed out that the Port Authority police are unable to access all of the security cameras at once in real-time in order to deal with potential issues.

“Terrorists look for our weakest link. If they know there are no surveillance cameras in a certain place and they can do their evil deeds there, they’re going to go ahead and do it,” Schumer said. “Only 360-degree airport security will do.”

All organizations have to come together and come up with a plan for a unified system, he added, urging the DHS to work hand-in-glove with the Port Authority, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and other agencies to ensure that any concerns are identified and fixed immediately.

Schumer explained that, while the DHS recommends security measures for each airport, these recommendations do not need to be followed. Each airport has a unique Airport Security Plan (ASP), which is developed in conjunction with the TSA to fit that specific facility’s layout, size, number of entrances, number of employees and other unique factors, so security cameras at airports are not required by federal law.

Schumer also told reporters he wanted the DHS to look thoroughly at all city hubs, citing the recent terror attacks at unsupervised “soft-target” areas at airports in Turkey and Brussels.