The legislation, which…
By Courtney Dentch
Retailers, food vendors and custodians at John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia International airports would have to undergo criminal background checks and fingerprinting under legislation proposed by Gov. George E. Pataki.
The legislation, which had not been written yet, would call for the expanded probes for all airport employees who have access to areas beyond the security checkpoints, and could be in put place this fall, Pataki announced at JFK Friday.
These regulations would surpass the federal statute, which only requires employees with access to cargo, baggage or the airplanes themselves to pass the background screenings, Pataki said.
“While JFK and LaGuardia now meet or exceed all public safety standards, we can and must continue to look for new ways to enhance airport security by taking advantage of new technology and ideas,” he told a news conference. “This comprehensive plan will set the standard for airport security around the nation.”
The plan would prohibit people with criminal histories from working in the secure part of the airport or the areas beyond the security checkpoints, Pataki said. The employee would be identified using their fingerprint rather than an identification card in a technology that the governor demonstrated Friday.
Employees would place their fingers on a sensor which reads the fingerprints using sound waves, said Dr. John Schneider, president and chief technology officer of Ultra-Scan Corporation, which was on hand Friday to display the system. A computer database would locate the fingerprint and open the related personnel file containing a picture of the employee as well as background information, Schneider said. Any flags or warnings would be posted here, he said.
Once the employee is approved, the computer unlocks a door, allowing the employee to enter the airport, Schneider said. The whole process takes less than five seconds.
The fingerprinting and background checks could be in place as early as this fall, said New Jersey Gov. James McGreevey, who also announced Friday that he is proposing similar legislation in his state. The plan would be put in place at Newark International Airport and other New York and New Jersey airports.
“This legislation is an important step toward the enhanced security of our regional airports,” McGreevey said. “We will continue to work in a bi-state and cooperative fashion in order to protect the safety of our travelers and our citizens.”
The plan also received federal support from John Magaw, undersecretary of the newly formed Transportation Security Administration.
“The New York airports are the linchpin of any security plan,” he said. “We’re here today as a team of borough and state and federal and local representatives. We are but a single member of that team.”
Pataki also announced other initiatives to increase airport security, including surveillance measures to watch the perimeters of the airports. The plan would use a combination of closed-circuit cameras, motion detectors, and radar to monitor people moving in and out of the airport, he said.
Pataki is also calling for improved training for local, state, and Port Authority police and upgraded computer communications within the terminals, he said.
Reach reporter Courtney Dentch by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com, or by phone at 229-0300, Ext. 138.
