Airport police

Airport police units are a security police agency assigned to perform law enforcement functions at airports. They provide a wide range of law enforcement duties and responsibilities including patrol, investigation, traffic flow management, and control and response to airport emergencies. Airport police provide enhanced safety to airport employees, and to passengers. Officers can be found at security gates, throughout the terminal area, and around the airport’s perimeter.

In some cases, airport police are branches of larger general purposes agencies. "Airport Safety Officers," are cross-trained in Fire, Emergency Medical Services, law enforcement, and even military units. They support federal security directives and initiatives, airline security programs and passenger screening, enforce airport rules and regulations on the airfield and within secured areas, and assist with traffic and crowd control. Airport police agencies are vital components of the international aviation security system but do not, in themselves, perform all aspects of airport security.

Airport Police (Ireland)

The Airport Police Service (APS) (Irish: Póilíní an Aerfoirt) is a small police force responsible for providing general policing and aviation security duties at the three state airports in Ireland: Dublin Airport, Cork Airport and Shannon Airport. The Airport Police service was first founded in 1936 in Dublin Airport and first became "Authorised Officers" under section 15 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1950 for the Minister of Transport.

Organisation & Role

The APS is established, funded and maintained by the owners of Dublin Airport and Cork Airport, the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and in Shannon Airport by the Shannon Airport Authority, both entities are state owned by the Irish Government.

The Role & Objectives of the Airport Police Service is the prevention, detection and response to all criminal acts occurring within their jurisdictional area along with ensuring public safety and the maintenance of public order. The force is also mandated to safeguard the airport from acts of unlawful interference to civil aviation.