Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) broke ground on a state-of-the-art $220 million Airport Police Facility that will consolidate operations from eight separate locations under one roof just north of the Central Terminal Area in Westchester. The 160,000-square-foot building will be located on the northeast corner of Westchester Parkway and Loyola Boulevard.
The Los Angeles Airport Police Division is the largest airport police department in the U.S., and consolidation of the current police facilities was a recommendation in the 2011 Report of the Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Panel on Airport Security. Consolidating many of the APD operations at one site will improve the communication and coordination of operations and resources for essential public safety services at LAX. When completed, it will be one of the largest police facilities in the state.
The new facility will include space for the Los Angeles Airport Police Division’s Office of Operations, Office of Support Services, Office of Homeland Security and Intelligence, Emergency Service Unit, Traffic and Security Group, Bomb Disposal Unit, K-9 Unit, a practice range and a multi-purpose room. It will also include a landscaped walkway along Westchester Parkway.
The Airport Police Facility project will include many sustainability features including dual-piping for future recycled water use. The maximum size solar/photo-voltaic system allowed will be installed on the headquarters building, consistent with Federal Aviation Administration requirements for glare and other technical considerations. The facility is being designed and constructed by Skidmore, Owens and Merrill and Hensel Phelps.
On October 3, Los Angeles Airport Police selected former Assistant Sheriff of the County of Los Angeles, Cecil Rhambo, as the new Chief of Airport Police. Upon completion of a background investigation, he will replace and report directly to David L. Maggard, who was named Deputy Executive Director for Law Enforcement and Homeland Security this summer after serving as Chief of Airport Police for three years.
