Isle of Man Airport Police

Isle of Man Airport Police was a small police force responsible for policing the Isle of Man Airport in Ronaldsway, Isle of Man.[1][2] In April 2019 it was announced that the role of the airport police was being placed under review and that subsequently the role of providing security at Ronaldsway Airport could be undertaken by a private contractor.[3]Consequently the Isle of Man Airport Police were disbanded at the end of September 2019.

Organisation

The Isle of Man Airport Police was staffed by thirteen sworn and warranted constables, supervised by managers who are also warranted constables (see below). Having completed training they were sworn-in by an Isle of Man Commissioner of Oaths, and received warrant cards as sworn constables, assuming the title of Aviation Security Officer.

They held the same authority and powers as a regular police officer whilst on (or near to) airport property.[1] They were also authorised to act on behalf of the Coroner at the Airport when required.[4]

Cover was provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,[1] whether the airport was open or closed. Aviation Security Officers were fully integrated into the airport's staff structure, so that (unusually) the airport police had no management grades (Inspector or Superintendent), with sworn constables carrying out the duties of their office on the ground, but reporting to managers who shared their police powers. The managers of airport police officers were the Airport Duty Officers who held the rank of Sergeant, and their effective Chief Officer was the Airport Director. Current Airport Director Ann Reynolds stated at the time of her appointment that the officers "provide first class policing for this major point of entry to our Island".[1]

Headquarters

The Headquarters, and only police station, of the Isle of Man Airport Police was the Aviation Security Section Building on the Ronaldsway airport estate.[5] From here officers would patrol the "airport estate and adjacent areas".[5]

Qualifications and duties

The stated qualifications required of an officer were:[5]

  • possession of a warrant as a Constable
  • physical fitness
  • literacy and numeracy
  • possession of a category B driving licence
  • good interpersonal skills

Duties were categorised in five groups:[5]

  • control and guard duties (controlling access, crowds, and vehicles)
  • patrol duties by foot or vehicle (patrolling terminals, operational buildings, car parks, airfield, and boundaries)
  • custodian duties (issuing of keys and identity cards, and management of lost property)
  • escort and protection duties (in respect of VIP passengers, high-value cargoes, and government vehicles)
  • general duties (including emergency incident procedures, radio operation, crime prevention & detection, exercising powers of arrest, liaising with other emergency services)

Scandal

In 2009 David Pownall, who had been a sworn constable in the Isle of Man Airport Police for 17 years, was dismissed following charges of unprofessional conduct and falsifying records of his patrols. His appeal to a tribunal for unfair dismissal was subsequently upheld, despite his admission of falsifying records. Key evidence from several different aviation security officers, also supported by a petitioning letter from five airport security officers, alleged a pattern of disruptive and bullying behaviour on the part of a named Airport Duty Officer (ADO). Another constable, Brian Kelly, gave evidence that in his opinion officers were being deliberately victimised and targeted for dismissal because they had stood up to bullying by the named ADO. Despite the officers being asked to provide any evidence of such bullying, neither were able to do so.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Aviation Security Officers Sworn In". Isle of Man Airport. Archived from the original on 23 February 2008. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  2. Open buildings report; see section "Security".
  3. http://www.iomtoday.co.im/article.cfm?id=47720&headline=Airport%20police%20jobs%20in%20jeapordy?&sectionIs=NEWS&searchyear=2019
  4. "Aviation Security Team". BBC. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  5. "Aviation Security Officer Job Description" (PDF). Isle of Man Government, Dept of Transport. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  6. Tribunal report at IOM Today Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine.
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