A joint terrorism task force will get dedicated space at Logan International Airport under an agreement signed yesterday with the FBI that marks a first for U.S. airports.
The 2,700 square feet of office space on the sixth floor of Logan’s old air traffic control tower will be used by the force, which may include personnel from the Secret Service, Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Transportation Security Administration, Federal Air Marshal program, Massachusetts State Police, and Customs and Border Protection.
“Our No. 1priority is preventing terrorism attacks,” FBI Special Agent Gail Marcinkiewicz said. “Considering we have jurisdiction over crimes committed aboard aircraft, this would enable us to have a better response time at the airport.”
Representatives from the FBI, Customs, TSA, the Federal Aviation Administration, airlines and other law enforcement agencies already attend daily 8:30 a.m. security briefings at Logan with Massport’s aviation operations staff, a practice that started after the 9/11 terrorism attacks.
“The idea of having the JTTF space on the airport is to improve communications in a secure environment,” Massport spokesman Matt Brelis said.
In lieu of paying for rent, utilities and maintenance, the FBI will cover the estimated $750,000 design and renovation of the facility, which should be ready next year.
I think its great!
Where does the need for this Joint Task Force end and a Department of Homeland Security presence begin? It looks like a great merging of the minds, but isn’t this colaboration under the DHS scope?