Syracuse, New York – The Syracuse Regional Airport Authority (SRAA) Police Department hosted the first of its kind aircraft based defensive tactics course over the summer at Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR) specifically tailored to address the issue of noncompliant passengers on commercial service aircraft. 20 students from the SRAA Police Department, Niagara Frontier Transit Authority Police Department, and the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department completed the training in an overnight session filled with drills and scenarios both inside and outside of a static aircraft.
For the first time, a defensive tactics training tailored specifically for airport law enforcement officers was custom built and conducted in Syracuse to address this complex issue. These cases typically involve an officer deescalating and facilitating the removal of the passenger from the aircraft for the safety of others on board. The SRAA partnered with Effective Fitness Concepts (EFC), a nationally recognized law enforcement centered defensive tactics training company, to develop a course covering the use of safe and approved hands-on techniques, team-based tactics, and methods of working within the confined spaces of aircraft cabins.
“A lot of this material is new to us and has never been trained on before,” said SRAA Police Chief Mark Werbeck. “This program will allow officers to train in realistic environments and situations that will further promote the safety and security of passengers and flight crew.”
FAA regulations state that “no person may assault, threaten, intimidate, or interfere with a crewmember in the performance of the crewmember’s duties aboard an aircraft being operated.” Additionally, airlines have the right to refuse to transport passengers for several reasons, including being intoxicated or under the influence of drugs, attempting to interfere with flight crew duties, disrupting flight operations or engaging in unruly behavior, or having an offensive odor not caused by disability or illness.
The techniques taught to the officers were designed to follow an exhaustive attempt to verbally de-escalate the situation and convince the passenger to deplane on his or her own power – without the use of force. In the event a disruptive passenger remains noncompliant following dialogue and verbal commands, officers were trained to utilize leverage and control techniques designed to minimize injury to everyone involved using only the reasonable force necessary to accomplish to the objective.
“Our goal is to bring the 360-degree environment, use of force, decision making, and training together,” said EFC founder Jay Wadsworth.
For additional information about the airport, please visit the airport’s website.
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