Pilots Security Group Supports Air Marshals in Changing Operating Rules
Homeland Security officials characterize problems in the Federal Air Marshal program as ‘growing pains,’ but pilots say the problems are caused by an entrenched bureaucracy that puts marshals and the public at risk.
(PRWEB) August 19, 2004 -- The Airline Pilots Security Alliance (APSA)
offered its strong support today for efforts to change dangerous operating
practices imposed on federal air marshals by program administrators. Federal Air
Marshals have complained that current dress code and boarding procedures, as
well as bureaucratic rules, make them obvious to passengers and terrorists and
compromise airline security. “The dress requirement is just one more example of
career bureaucrats ignoring the pleas of frontline operators,” said APSA
spokesperson Brian Darling. “The biggest advantage the air marshal program gives
us is terrorists not knowing whether marshals are onboard. If you dress them
right out of ‘Men in Black,’ we’ve lost that element of
surprise.”
Homeland Security officials have attempted to characterize
problems in the Federal Air Marshal program as ‘growing pains,’ but APSA says
the problems are caused by an entrenched bureaucracy that puts marshals and the
public at risk. “They’re focusing on form over function,” said pilot Rob Sproc,
APSA Vice President. “A lot of these managers have been off the frontlines too
long. At some point, someone’s got to shake them and say, ‘Another airplane is
going to hit a building!’
In April, air marshal service director Tom
Quinn wrote an internal memo trying to coordinate a DHS lobbying effort against
a bill to strengthen the armed pilots program. Among Quinn’s complaints: pilots
were not trained to execute search warrants, interview suspects or testify in
court. Quinn is also responsible for implementing the controversial air marshal
dress code. “I don’t think anyone expects Al Qaeda to come aboard wearing long
robes and burkas,” commented Darling. If the terrorists understand the need to
blend in, why doesn’t the Director of the Federal Air Marshal Service?”
# # #
Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/8/prweb150317.htm