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Jul 18, 2023

North Bend, airport district reach police agreement

Airline passengers wait to be screened at the TSA checkpoint while catching a flight at the Southwestern Oregon Regional Airport. After a few months of using a private security firm, the airport will

Airline passengers wait to be screened at the TSA checkpoint while catching a flight at the Southwestern Oregon Regional Airport. After a few months of using a private security firm, the airport will not have service from North Bend police.

The North Bend police department will once again be offering police service to the Southwestern Oregon Regional Airport.

Just weeks after Rodger Craddock became CEO of the Coos County Airport District, Craddock met with the North Bend City Council to recommend the council approve a new intergovernmental agreement with the airport district.

Craddock said he had met with North Bend City Administrator David Milliron and negotiated an agreement that would have the airport district pay North Bend $15,000 a year for guaranteeing police response to the airport within 15 minutes.

Craddock said the airport functions under requirements from the TSA, which regulate what airports can and cannot do.

“One of their regulations is to have law enforcement officers available within 15 minutes when a TSA agent calls for service,” Craddock said.

He added that calls from a TSA agent to North Bend police are rare, and usually occur for things like a gun being found in a bag or an out-of-control person at the airport.

North Bend has had a long history of providing law enforcement services to the airport. Years ago, North Bend police actually scanned customers getting on airplanes.

That changed after 9-11, when the TSA began hiring their own agents at every public airport in the nation.

North Bend continued to offer police services to the district before ending the agreement last year when the airport district and the city failed to reach an agreement the sides thought was fair.

“Currently, the airport district is contracting out armed security response for those limited calls for service to a private security firm,” Craddock said. “Neither the TSA or the airport district believes that is in the best interest long term and we would like to secure the services of professional law enforcement to respond.”

Craddock said the agreement is only related to calls from TSA agents requesting services. Other calls from airport property are responded to as a normal part of providing police services throughout North Bend. He said of the TSA changes its rules in the future and requires more police services, the agreement could be renegotiated.

Milliron said he felt the agreement was fair even though it did not limit the number of calls police were required to respond to.

“We believe over a five-year graded period, you’re covering the availability of services over five years. The reality is if a 9-1-1 call comes in, we’re going to respond and ask questions later,” Milliron said. “If it got to the point it was unbearable, there’s a 30-day opt-out clause. We believe it’s a very fair agreement”

Mayor Jessica Engelke applauded the IGA, saying it was nice to have a closer relationship with the airport district.

“I’m over the moon you’re in your new position,” Engelke told Craddock. “I think it’s so nice to see a representative of the airport district here to meet with North Bend.”

The council voted 7-0 to authorize Milliron to sign the agreement.

View our 8-25-23 E-edition right here!

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