Port Authority Police Benevolent Association, Inc. Responds to JFK Airport Security Concerns Reported by the New York Post on Friday, August 17, 2012

Responding to inaccuracies in recent media reports concerning identified security flaws at John F. Kennedy Airport, Port Authority Police Benevolent Association President Paul Nunziato clarified his remarks to the New York Post during a conference call on August 16, 2012: “There has been some misunderstanding of the terms utilized in reports concerning a security gate at JFK which was noted in a report as being “unsecured,” Nunziato stated. “The Port Authority Police Benevolent Association informed the New York Post’s editorial staff, prior to the Post publishing the story, that the gate in question was NOT unlocked and was NOT reported to be unlocked. This same information was also conveyed to the Post by the Port Authority.”

Nunziato went on to state: “The Post’s portrayal that I was at odds with Executive Director Patrick Foye’s comment regarding the report is not correct. In fact, I informed the Post the memo was inaccurate and my statement concerning the report assessment not being 100% accurate was noted by the Post article.”

Nunziato acknowledged that the PBA has brought forward many concerns about the Port Authority’s security flaws historically: “When the PBA believes that there is a danger to the public, we will continue to use any means available to correct those dangers.” The PBA has repeatedly raised concerns regarding the effectiveness of the Port Authority’s Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS), procured and installed under the previous administration of former executive director Christopher Ward. Despite concerns over the security determinations made by the prior administration, Nunziato stressed: “the Port Authority’s current leadership of Chairman David Sampson, Vice Chairman Scott Rechler, Executive Director Patrick Foye and Deputy Executive Director Bill Baroni are clearly dedicated to improving Port Authority policing and security issues and we look forward to continuing to work with them toward achieving those goals.”

For more information, please contact the Port Authority Police Benevolent Association at (201) 871-2100 or visit our website at www.papba.org.