The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority voted Wednesday to begin conversations with the city of Orlando and the Orlando Police Department to start up its own in-house police force.
Right now, the airport relies on officers from OPD for its law enforcement needs.
The GOAA board, which operates the Orlando International Airport, unanimously agreed to begin conversations about an internal police force.
Vice President of Airport Security Jonathan Cute, who presented the idea to the board, said most of the country’s largest airports, including Tampa International, have transitioned to using their own, specialized police force.
Cute said it’s necessary at one of the busiest and fastest growing airports in the nation.
“This is a strategic step toward building a law enforcement model tailored specifically to the unique environment of an international airport to enhance our current law enforcement posture,” Cute said.
He said the cost would be the same as paying for OPD.
Next, GOAA, the city of Orlando, and Orlando PD will discuss key components of a four-year transition plan to an internal police force.
Cute said this methodical, phased approach “will allow for the recruitment, hiring and training of airport-focused policing, the development of new police department infrastructure as well as policies and procedures and a gradual transition of OPD’s presence while maintaining public safety.”
GOAA Board member Dan Giordano said he was all for the airport’s big step toward more autonomy.
“So it's really a matter of control. I think, you know, having your own, it's done at universities. It's done at major airports. … And I know for sure that the relationship with OPD will still remain simpatico. They're not going anywhere. They're gonna be here if we need them. And so it's the best of both worlds, in my opinion,” Giordano said.
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, who is on the GOAA board, voiced his full support for the conversations to begin, although he said he wasn’t sure how they would ultimately play out.
“From the city side of things, it's a deal we're ready to engage in conversations about and see if it makes sense for the airport and for OPD in terms of transition,” Dyer said. "And it would come over a very considerable amount of time, because they would have to hire everything from a police chief on down to boots on the ground."
Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, who is also on the GOAA board, said he likes the idea. But he cautioned a smaller, internal police force may not be able to keep up with certain staffing demands and needs.
“If there's a staffing shortage … or what have you here at the airport, the Orlando Police Department has the ability, because of its size, from its other operations, to pull staff to be able to fill whatever vacancies may be,” Demings said. “If you are the only entity, you're the entity, you have to look within your own resources to fill those vacancies.”
The Orlando Executive Airport would continue to use Orlando PD officers.
Read the full agenda from the GOAA meeting here:
