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The following Federal agencies may be armed during flight...

Josey1Josey1 Member Posts: 9,598 ✭✭
edited January 2002 in General Discussion
Thirty different Government groups. Now they need to add just one more: Qualified American Citizens with CCW and Aircraft training.
The following Federal agencies may be armed during flight...01/05/2002 | TMMTPosted on 1/5/02 12:12 PM Pacific by The Magical Mischief Tour http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/602307/posts The following Federal agencies may be armed during flight -whether on official business or not. -Bureau of Printing and Engraving -Coast Guard -Customs -Defense Nuclear Agency -Dept of Agriculture (Poultry Inspectors, etc) -Dept of Commerce -Dept of Education -Dept of Health and Human Services -Dept of Labor -Dept of State -Dept of the Air Force/Army/Navy -Dept of the Interior -FBI -General Services Administration -Postal Service -Secret Service -Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms -FAA -IRS -Dept of Transportation -CIA -DOD -Dept of Energy -Dept of Housing and Urban Development -Dept of State -Dept of the Treasury -National Security Agency -DEA -Federal Prison System -Federal Protective Service -Marshals Service -Smithsonian Institution Federal Aviation Administration October 5, 2001 Law Enforcement Executive Dear Colleague: This letter provides information that may be useful to you and those agents or officers of your agency or department who travel armed as ticketed passengers on commercial aircraft. As a result of the tragic events of September 11, many long-standing policies, procedures and standard practices must be changed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has worked with the aviation industry and the U.S. law enforcement community to revise regulations and guidance governing law enforcement officers (LEO) traveling armed. The changes to the FAA regulation (14 Code Federal Regulations (CFR) part 108) governing LEOs flying armed were published on July 17, 2001, and become effective November 14, 2001 (see Federal Register, Vol. 66, page 37330). While the rule is not yet effective, it reflects the FAA's policy. One of the many changes is a requirement that all LEOs who have a need to fly armed complete the FAA training "Law Enforcement Officers Flying Armed" prior to traveling armed on board commercial aircraft. We understand that most or all Federal LEOs who fly armed have had this training. LEOs who have had the current training may continue to fly until agencies have had the opportunity to provide updated training. Changes to the training package are underway and will be distributed soon. The events of September 11 have altered how we look at terrorist activity and have resulted in far-reaching and immediate changes. The enclosed pages provide information that may be helpful for an immediate update on the subject of LEOs flying armed. The first enclosure is a basic statement as to FAA's policy regarding LEOs traveling armed. It highlights changes that allow Federal agents to travel armed under their agencywide directive. It also reflects other regulatory changes (new section 108.219) and provides information that the FAA considers necessary for each law enforcement agency and its officers who fly armed. The second enclosure is a copy of 14 CFR 108.219, Carriage of accessible weapons, the section of the regulations that will govern such travel. Please pass on the information contained in this letter to each and every LEO or agent under your employ who has a need to fly armed. Sincerely Michael A Canavan Associate Administrator for Civil Aviation Security Enclosures INFORMATION FROM THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ARMED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS ABOARD AIR CARRIER AIRCRAFT The FAA recognizes that law enforcement officers at times have the need to fly armed. For state and local LEO's, the regulation provides a process by which they may gain authority to fly aboard a particular flight in an armed status in conjunction with a specific duty assignment. 14 CFR 108.219 (Federal Register, Vol. 66, page 27330) recognizes that federal law enforcement officers have nationwide jurisdiction. The FAA authorizes Federal law enforcement officers to carry firearms aboard aircraft whether or not on official travel, and armed in accordance with an agency-wide policy governing that type of travel established by the employing agency by directive or policy statement. WHILE FLYING ARMED: 1. It is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that you fulfill, in a timely manner, your obligation to notify the air carrier in advance of your intended travel. Your check- in process must be accomplished in full compliance with FAA requirements and air carrier policy. 2. You must use discretion to avoid alarming passengers or crew by display of the firearm. 3. If you are armed and traveling by air carrier, DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR FIREARM TO ANYONE. 4. If you cannot resolve a problem with any representative of the air carrier, to include the captain of an aircraft prior to departure, you should immediately request the assistance of the air carrier's GROUND SECURITY COORDINATOR or STATION MANAGER. 5. State and local officers must have a letter from their department authorizing the armed travel and detailing the itinerary. Federal agents do not need a letter from their agency to travel armed. Sec. 108.219 Carriage of accessible weapons. (a) Flights for which screening is conducted. The provisions of Sec. 108.201(e), with respect to accessible deadly or dangerous weapons, do not apply to a law enforcement officer (LEO) aboard a flight for which screening is required if the requirements of this section are met. This paragraph (a) does not apply to a Federal Air Marshal on duty status under Sec. 108.223. (1) Unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator, the armed LEO shall meet the following requirements: (i) Be a Federal law enforcement officer or a full-time municipal, county, or state law enforcement officer who is a direct employee of a government agency. (ii) Be sworn and commissioned to enforce criminal statutes or immigration statutes. (iii) Be authorized by the employing agency to have the weapon in connection with assigned duties. (iv) Has completed the training program Law Enforcement Officers Flying Armed.'' (2) In addition to the requirements of paragraph (a)(1) of this section, the armed LEO must have a need to have the weapon accessible from the time he or she would otherwise check the weapon until the time it would be claimed after deplaning. The need to have the weapon accessible shall be determined by the employing agency, department, or service and be based on one of the following: (i) The provision of protective duty, for instance, assigned to a principal or advance team, or on travel required to be prepared to engage in a protective function. (ii) The conduct of a hazardous surveillance operation. (iii) On official travel required to report to another location, armed and prepared for duty. (iv) Employed as a Federal LEO, whether or not on official travel, and armed in accordance with an agency-wide policy governing that type of travel established by the employing agency by directive or policy statement. (v) Control of a prisoner, in accordance with Sec. 108.221, or an armed LEO on a round trip ticket returning from escorting, or traveling to pick up, a prisoner. (vi) FAA Federal Air Marshal on duty status. (3) The armed LEO shall comply with the following notification requirements: (i) All armed LEOs shall notify the aircraft operator of the flight(s) on which he or she needs to have the weapon accessible at least 1 hour, or in an emergency as soon as practicable, before departure. (ii) Identify himself or herself to the aircraft operator by presenting credentials that include a clear full-face picture, the signature of the armed LEO, and the signature of the authorizing official of the agency, service, or department or the official seal of the agency, service, or department. A badge, shield, or similar device may not be used, or accepted, as the sole means of identification. (iii) If the armed LEO is a State, county, or municipal law enforcement officer, he or she shall present an original letter of authority, signed by an authorizing official from his or her employing agency, service or department, confirming the need to travel armed and detailing the itinerary of the travel while armed. (iv) If the armed LEO is an escort for a foreign official then this paragraph (a)(3) may be satisfied by a State Department notification. (4) The aircraft operator shall do the following: (i) Obtain information or documentation required in paragraphs (a)(3)(ii), (iii), and (iv) of this section. (ii) Advise the armed LEO, before boarding, of the aircraft operator's procedures for carrying out this section. (iii) Have the LEO confirm he/she has completed the training program Law Enforcement Officers Flying Armed'' as required by the FAA, unless otherwise authorized by the Administrator. (iv) Ensure that the identity of the armed LEO is known to the appropriate personnel who are responsible for security during the boarding of the aircraft. (v) Notify the pilot in command and other appropriate crewmembers, of the location of each armed LEO aboard the aircraft. Notify any other armed LEO of the location of each armed LEO, including FAM's. Under circumstances described in the security program, the aircraft operator must not close the doors until the notification is complete. (vi) Ensure that the information required in paragraphs (a)(3)(i) and (ii) of this section is furnished to the flight crew of each additional connecting flight by the Ground Security Coordinator or other designated agent at each location. (b) Flights for which screening is not conducted. The provisions of Sec. 108.201(e), with respect to accessible deadly or dangerous weapons, do not apply to a LEO aboard a flight for which screening is not required if the requirements of paragraphs (a)(1), (3), and (4) of this section are met. (c) Alcohol. (1) No aircraft operator may serve any alcoholic beverage to an armed LEO. (2) No armed LEO may: (i) Consume any alcoholic beverage while aboard an aircraft operated by an aircraft operator. (ii) Board an aircraft armed if they have consumed an alcoholic beverage within the previous 8 hours. (d) Location of weapon. (1) Any person traveling aboard an aircraft while armed shall at all times keep their weapon: (i) Concealed and out of view, either on their person or in immediate reach, if the armed LEO is not in uniform. (ii) On their person, if the armed LEO is in uniform. (2) No person may place a weapon in an overhead storage bin.

Comments

  • cpilericpileri Member Posts: 447 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    So how do I get this training? who do i contact?I qualify for one of those 30 groups.
  • BullzeyeBullzeye Member Posts: 3,560
    edited November -1
    Just teriffic.Do we really want some desk jockey from the Smithsonian institution or the IRS carrying a pistol loaded with JHP rounds on a damn plane?Even the experts are 10 times more likely to end up piercing a bad guy, then piercing a hostage, then piercing the plane wall and decompressing the cabin,
  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    Why in the world would the Dept. of Health and Human Services, the Transportation Dept, the Smithsonion (and many others) have ARMED LEO's?
    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
  • TeamblueTeamblue Member Posts: 782 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most , if not all, of the Cabinet level agencies have Offices of Inspector General. These OIG offices employ agents who have the GS-1811 designation that titles them as a Criminal Investigator. Having that designation means that the person has had the criminal investigator and fireamrms training courses at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, GA and are qualified and required to carry firearms as part of their job description. Since the Smithsonian Institution is on the FAA list, then they must employ GS-1811 criminal investigators or some equivalent for some law enforcement/investigative purpose. Same goes for the other agencies that are in question. One thing for sure is that every "desk jockey" at the Smithsonian does not carry armed, much less on an airplane. Far from it.
  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    I thought that was why we had the FBI, to investigate federal crimes. Can't see the justification for the Smithsonian (or any other non-law enforcemeent and non-DOD agency) to have ANY armed employees. I will allow the State dept. to have it's protective service given the nature of the job - BUT, they should only be armed when deployed overseas.
    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
  • offerorofferor Member Posts: 8,625 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Even these groups are going to have to put up with a lot of suspicion and extra scrutiny before boarding. I sent the White House an email recommending the Secret Service agent drop his suit, because it just seems to me someone like him is going to attract a lot of attention from people who are in business to catch imposters. While it may be racial profiling to use race as the sole reason for turning someone away, when you combine that with other red flags it is no longer racial profiling, but criminal profiling, which we have used legitimately for years to catch all kinds of criminals from serial killers to you-name-it. Seems to me the whole thing could have been avoided if he hadn't insisted in carrying on his weapon. A lot of these agencies have no need for their weapons during flight and could pack 'em in the luggage without violating their job descriptions.
    "The 2nd Amendment is about defense, not hunting. Long live the gun shows, and reasonable access to FFLs. Join the NRA -- I'm a Life Member."
  • mudgemudge Member Posts: 4,225 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    THIS AIN'T GONNA' WORK!!!!How about this scenario:15 of these newly authorized "carriers" are on a flight.Some raghead jumps up and starts something.ALL of our newly authorized "carriers" jump up and start shooting. AT EACH OTHER!!!!Truthfully...at that point, how are they gonna' know who is and who ain't, the bad guy? Back in the old days (before I retired), each armed LEO was supposed to be notified if there was ANOTHER armed LEO on the flight. Sure, you could still do that, but how are all these LEO's gonna' remember who's the good guy/gal.Bullzeye....a bullet thru the skin won't cause rapid decompression. All planes have a certain amount of "leakage". A .45 inch hole or two isn't gonna' make a lot of difference.Mudge the ex-airline guy
    I can't come to work today. The voices said, STAY HOME AND CLEAN THE GUNS![This message has been edited by mudge (edited 01-07-2002).]
  • SmokewagonSmokewagon Member Posts: 40 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If they are going to let all these people on board why not the Police Officers who work the streets every day and have 10 times more firearms training than most of those on the list.
    Stf.Sgt.J.Kysela/Oklahoma City Police Dept. F/A Instructor.
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