Official Web Site of the City of Phoenix

Mission Statement

"Provide Security for Sky Harbor International Airport to assure safe travel for its passengers and workforce"

Sky Harbor International Airport handles about 1,480 commercial flights daily.  This translates into about 109,000 passengers a day that are traveling through our airport.  Now, if you add in the number of people who come to the airport as meters and greeters, that computes to about 245,000 people visiting the airport each day.  This makes Sky Harbor the world’s busiest three-runway airport and makes it the fifth busiest airport in the world.  If you are looking for more detailed information about airport operations or flight information, we encourage you to visit the Sky Harbor International Airport web site.  This page will highlight the police department’s role at Sky harbor International Airport.

Bureau Responsibilities at Sky Harbor Airport

• Provide information and direction to the general public.
  
• Proactively patrol airport grounds and facilities.
  
• Enforce criminal and traffic laws and investigate criminal matters.
  
• Enforce FAA heightened security restrictions.
• Respond to calls at security checkpoints.
  
• Assist Aviation employees in controlling access to the SIDA (Security Identification Display Area).
• Special Assignments / VIP's - Security for the President of the United States and other Dignitaries.

TSA/Phoenix Police Explosive Detection K-9 Program The canine team’s primary mission is to “Deter and detect the introduction of explosive devices into the transportation system.”  Eight teams, consisting of a Phoenix Police handler and a trained TSA canine, protect Sky Harbor International Airport.  As members of the National Explosives Detection Canine Team Program they work as partners to thwart the efforts of those who would do harm to the traveling public.  To read more about these teams click here.

Saving Lives - Being There When it Counts!

Sky Harbor International Airport installed AEDs (Automated External Defibrillator) at the airport in 2000.  Officers assigned to the Airport Bureau are certified in the use of the AED and are only minutes away from anywhere in the airport when needed.  In fact, the first AED “Save” occurred at the airport in January 2001 when three Airport Bureau Officers responded to the report of a 52 year old woman in cardiac arrest and applied CPR and the AED.  The officers were credited with saving the woman’s life.  Since that first incident, there have been 15 AED “Saves” at Sky Harbor and Airport Bureau Officers have been involved in 11 of the incidents.

The next time you're at the Sky Harbor Airport and in need of assistance, just look for one of our officers walking around the terminals, riding a bike or working with a canine and they will be more than happy to assist you in your time of need.