Consideration and Approval of Grant Award:  Reimbursement Agreement between the City of Flagstaff and the U. S. Department of Homeland Security, Transportation Security Administration.

Accepting this cooperative agreement will allow the City of Flagstaff to comply with TSA security directives requiring LEO presence during passenger security screening without the City having to pay the entire amount for that coverage. Federal funding will cover approximately 79% of costs while the City will pay the remaining 21%.

Total Reimbursement Agreement amount is $242,700.00 ($80,900 per year) over the next three fiscal years. The City would be obligated to pay the balance of the cost for an LEO presence at the Airport, estimated to be $61,162.50 over that same period.

1. Develop an ongoing budget process
2. Effective governance

The City of Flagstaff entered into a past Reimbursement Agreement with the Transportation Security Administration to offset the cost of federally mandated airport law enforcement responsibilities in 2007. This provided $284,043.00 over the period of five federal fiscal years (10/1/2007-09/30/2012).

(1) Approve the Reimbursement Agreement and receive partial salary reimbursement for LEO presence during airport passenger screening over the next three years.
(2) Decline the Reimbursement Agreement and pay the full salary for LEO presence during airport passenger screening over the next three years out of the general fund.

Currently, there are law enforcement officers from the Flagstaff Police Department’s Selective Enforcement Squad assigned to the Flagstaff Airport. Flagstaff Police Department LEOs are assigned to provide an armed, uniformed presence at the security checkpoint during passenger screening.

Officers are present whenever Flagstaff’s TSA staff starts screening passengers. Typically this begins 30 minutes before each flight’s scheduled takeoff time. In order to ensure a presence for each flight, two to three officers are assigned to the airport. The number of full time employees needed to provide coverage is dependant on the commercial air carrier’s monthly flight schedule. LEO’s are present at the Flagstaff Airport one hour before the scheduled first flight and remain until after the last scheduled flight has departed. The checkpoint and secure hold room is secured between flights. Between scheduled flights, LEOs continue to be available “on call.”

The Federal Security Director (FSD) requires a LEO presence during all pre-flight screenings. Normally, there are 6 commercial flights a day which require screening. At least one officer is assigned to screening before and after each flight. The officer typically spends one hour and fifteen minutes (75 minutes) in the area of the secure hold room for each flight. The cost to the city to provide this service is approximately $101,287.50 for one officer, six times a day, 365 days a year.

This cooperative agreement would provide guaranteed federal funding for approximately 79% of the cost for providing law enforcement officers at the Airport, with the total amount not to exceed $242,700.00 over the next three federal fiscal years. The City would then be responsible for the balance of those costs, estimated to be $20,387.50 for the current fiscal year. In addition to the funding benefit outlined above, this agreement would allow the Airport to have armed, uniformed law enforcement officers present during all security screening operations when passengers and the air carrier aircraft are most vulnerable.

Inform - A uniformed law enforcement officer presence during passenger screening sends the right message to the traveling public as well as TSA officials that the City of Flagstaff and the Airport are serious about safe and secure air travel.

2/19/2013 - EAB - approved