Procedure 613-Carrying Weapons on Airport Property

Question 1

.01B. Has the sole authority to allow officers into the secure area of the Terminal

Answer 1

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Question 2

.02A. TSA regulations prohibit ANY non-ticketed person from by-passing the;

Answer 2

passenger boarding security checkpoint.

Question 3

.02B. SAPD officers on-duty, in uniform or plainclothes, who must enter the passenger boarding area of the San Antonio International Airport on official business, will:

Answer 3

Proceed to the exit lane of the TSA Checkpoint, [The lane where arriving passengers exit the secure area];

Question 4

.03A. SAPD officers are not allowed to carry any weapon on or about their person while on a commercial aircraft, regardless of the duty status or dress of the officer, without a;

Answer 4

letter of authority signed by the Chief of Police

Question 5

.03A. This is a TSA regulatory requirement for the airlines and the letter of authority must be;

Answer 5

presented to the air carrier with which the officer is traveling

Question 6

.03B. SAPD officers flying armed must have successfully completed the structured training program;

Answer 6

“Law Enforcement Officers Flying Armed;”, and have a need for a weapon to be accessible from the time he or she would otherwise check the weapon until the time it would be claimed after deplaning;

Question 7

.03B. Must obtain a letter of authority signed by the Chief of Police confirming the need to travel armed and detailing the itinerary of the travel.

Answer 7

The Department shall transmit a properly formatted message via NLETS to TSA.

Question 8

.03B. An Alpha-numeric identifier will be assigned for each day of travel. If an NLETS message is;

Answer 8

not on record with TSA, a weapon will not be allowed beyond the checkpoint;

Question 9

.03B. If the dates of travel change or airport information changes, a new NLETS identifier will need to be issued. Therefore, the SAPD officer should be prepared to;

Answer 9

communicate with the Office of the Chief to have a new NLETS message sent;

Question 10

.03B. The officer may contact the TSA office at the airport, where he is delayed in his travel, due to weather, airlines, mechanical, etc., when the delay;

Answer 10

exceeds twenty-four hours, and request a new NLETS identifier, but the officer must have all of his travel paperwork, itinerary, and identification ready to present to TSA.

Question 11

.03B. Must notify the aircraft operator of the flight on which he needs to have a weapon accessible;

Answer 11

at least one hour, or in an emergency, as soon as possible before departure;

Question 12

.03B. By presenting credentials, that include a clear full-face picture, the signature of the SAPD officer, the signature of the Chief of Police, and the official seal of the Police Department identify him/herself to;

Answer 12

the aircraft operator

Question 13

.03B. Officers should verify that their credentials contain their signature to meet the;

Answer 13

guidelines, or obtain new credentials that do meet the guidelines;

Question 14

.03B. A badge may not be accepted as the sole means of identification. The officer must also present to the;

Answer 14

air carrier the original signed letter of authority to fly armed;

Question 15

.03B. Proceed to the exit lane of the Security Checkpoint, contact the;

Answer 15

TSO assigned to the checkpoint, and identify himself as a SAPD officer.

Question 16

.03B. Upon contacting the TSO assigned to the checkpoint, present their SAPD credentials, a;

Answer 16

second form of Government-issued photo identification, the NLETS alphanumeric code, boarding pass, airline law enforcement officer documentation to the TSO.

Question 17

.03B. Authority for law enforcement officers carrying a weapon beyond the Security Checkpoint is subject to the;

Answer 17

approval of TSA, regardless of all criteria being met;

Question 18

.03B. If denied boarding the aircraft with a weapon by either;

Answer 18

TSA, airport law enforcement, or airline carrier, officers should be prepared to check their weapon.

Question 19

.03B. Officers are reminded that Federal Law prohibits law enforcement officers flying armed from consuming any alcohol while;

Answer 19

on board the aircraft and eight (8) hours prior to departure.

Question 20

.04A. Place the weapon unloaded in a locked hard sided case. Ensure that any ammunition is in;

Answer 20

factory, or similar packaging and does not exceed [11] pounds of small arms ammunition.

Question 21

.04A. Advise the airline agent that you are declaring that an unloaded weapon is in a container within checked baggage, complete the necessary forms and maintain the key, or number combination, to the lock box.

Answer 21

At the ticket counter

Question 22

.05A. SAPD officers who are assigned to transport a prisoner on a commercial aircraft, when making the travel arrangements will:

Answer 22

Advise the airline if the prisoner is a high-risk or low-risk prisoner.

Question 23

.05A. Means a prisoner who is an exceptional escape risk as determined by the Department, and charged with or convicted of, a violent crime.

Answer 23

High-risk prisoner

Question 24

.05A. Means any prisoner who has not been designated as a “high-risk” prisoner.

Answer 24

Low-risk prisoner

Question 25

.05A. Unless authorized by the TSA, no more than;

Answer 25

one high-risk prisoner may be transported on an aircraft.

Question 26

.05A. Notify the airlines, that an armed SAPD officer, will be transporting a prisoner;

Answer 26

at least [24] hours in advance of the scheduled departure time

Question 27

.05A. Obtain a letter of authority signed by the Chief of Police confirming the need to travel armed. The letter must:

Answer 27

a. Be addressed to the airline;
b. officer’s name and identity of the prisoner;
c. State the city of departure and destination.

Question 28

.05A. Prior to entering the passenger boarding area at the airport, present the letter to;

Answer 28

the TSO at the exit lane and comply with the directions and instruction of the TSO.

Question 29

.05B. The steps listed in must be followed at each location during the travel. This includes;

Answer 29

every time the SAPD officer and prisoner change planes or exit the sterile areas at the airports.