A fatal shooting on July 4 at Los Angeles Int’l Airport (LAX) has prompted the airport to invest more than $30 million to overhaul its security infrastructure and practices inside and outside the terminal, including adding more than 1,200 CCTV cameras.
A series of major security enhancements at the airport were announced in July by Los Angeles Mayor Jim Hahn, who is also chairman of the U.S. Conference of Mayors’ aviation safety and security task force. Adding more perimeter fencing and additional law enforcement are also part of the plan.
The new security cameras will be mounted every 400 feet and will be placed 10 feet behind the airport’s fencing. This will enable security personnel to see the entire perimeter on CCTV monitors.
The cameras are expected to cost the city approximately $15 million. They will be added to all domestic and international terminals covering public areas, access points and curbside areas. The additional units will be integrated with the airport’s existing video resources and will be administered by Los Angeles Airport Police at a new, centralized monitoring facility.
In addition, video footage will be recorded and maintained for future use by law enforcement officials. “Fortifying airport perimeters is just the first phase of the security enhancement process that we are planning to strengthen our airports,” Hahn says.
