The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have launched a new Airport Watch program at Canberra’s Airport.
The initiative coincides with increasing domestic travel and the potential for growth in crime throughout the aviation environment.
Airport Police Commander at Canberra Airport, Simon Henry (pictured) said the AFP would use Airport Watch to alert the public and aviation workers about what suspicious activity looked like and how to report it to authorities.
He said aviation staff, retail employees and others at Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney airports would receive training and educational resources.
“COVID-19 has created significant shifts within the aviation environment, including the employment of staff who have never worked at airports before,” Commander Henry said.
“So it is an ideal time to revive and strengthen security measures at Canberra Airport and throughout Australia’s aviation network.”
He said the public played a critical role working with police every day to keep their communities safe. The aviation environment was no different.
“I am today calling on Canberrans and those passing through our city to keep their eyes and ears open as they embark on domestic travel over the coming year,” Commander Henry said.
“The AFP knows crime can be facilitated by trusted insiders. Airport Watch aims to educate those working in and traveling through major airports about what should be reported and how.
He said the message was “if you see or hear something unusual while working at or travelling through one of our major airports, please call the AFP’s Airport Watch on 131 AFP (237) — it might just prevent a crime and bring perpetrators to the attention of authorities”.
