The Airport Police Service (APS) ( ga, Póilíní an Aerfoirt) is a small private police force responsible for providing general security and

aviation security Airport security includes the techniques and methods used in an attempt to protect passengers, staff, aircraft, and airport property from malicious harm, crime, terrorism, and other threats. Aviation security is a combination of measures and h ...

duties at the three state airports in

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...

Dublin Airport Dublin Airport ( Irish: ''Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath'') is an international airport serving Dublin, Ireland. It is operated by DAA (formerly Dublin Airport Authority). The airport is located in Collinstown, north of Dublin, and south o ...

Cork Airport Cork Airport ( ga, Aerfort Chorcaí, ) is the second-largest of the three principal international airports in Ireland, after Dublin and ahead of Shannon. It is located in Cork City, south of the city centre in an area known as Farmers Cro ...

and

Shannon Airport Shannon Airport ( ga, Aerfort na Sionainne) is an international airport located in County Clare in the Republic of Ireland. It is adjacent to the Shannon Estuary and lies halfway between Ennis and Limerick. The airport is the third busiest ai ...

. The Airport Police Service was first founded in 1936 in Dublin Airport and first became "Authorised Officers" under section 15 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1950 for the

Minister of Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government a ...

Organisation & Role

Dublin police Airport - Mitsubishi Outlander & Volkswagen T5

The APS is established, funded and maintained by the owners of

and

DAA Daa is an administrative ward in the Karatu district of the Arusha Region of Tanzania Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great ...

(previously known as Dublin Airport Authority) and in

by the Shannon Airport Authority, both entities are owned by the

Irish Government The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland. The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The gover ...

. The role and objectives of the Airport Police Service is the prevention, detection and response to all minor criminal acts occurring within their jurisdictional area along with ensuring public safety and the maintenance of public order. The force is also mandated to safeguard the airport from acts of unlawful interference to civil aviation. The Airport Police Service play an integral role as a secondary responding agency (RA) in the event of any major emergency or incident occurring in the airport and work alongside the Airport Fire & Rescue Service or agencies such as Gardaí, HSE or local fire service. Each of the state airport authorities are "statutory undertakers" under section 23 of the Air Navigation and Transport (Amendment) Act 1998 The companies meets statutory requirements under the act by having its own police service while also meeting other requirements under other national and international aviation regulations and legislation which are required to be met for the state airports to operate. At the state airports, each force is led by a

chief police officer In the United Kingdom, a chief police officer is the most senior police officer in a police force. The chief police officers are the 53 Chief Constables, the Commissioner of the City of London Police and the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Po ...

who is responsible for the oversight and management of the police service. The chief officer is supported by a group of senior officers and a team of support staff. Officers of the service have some powers of detention and intervention authorised by the

Minister for Transport A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government ag ...

Airport Authority An airport authority is an independent entity charged with the operation and oversight of an airport or group of airports. These authorities are often governed by a group of airport commissioners, who are appointed to lead the authority by a govern ...

under section 48 of the Act of 1998 and other powers granted through other

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, police officers of the APS after selection and successful completion of recruit training are appointed and empowered as authorised officers and issued with an ID card, these powers may be used within the limits and premises of each of the Irish state airports, and elsewhere on lands and roadways belonging to the Minister of Transport.

General powers and status of officers

Members of the Airport Police Service have the powers to: * Stop and search (this includes persons, their property, vehicles, aircraft and cargo in an airport). *

Demand In economics, demand is the quantity of a good that consumers are willing and able to purchase at various prices during a given time. The relationship between price and quantity demand is also called the demand curve. Demand for a specific item ...

a person's biographical details, evidence of one's identity and other relevant information. *

Detain Detention is the process whereby a state or private citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom or liberty at that time. This can be due to (pending) criminal charges preferred against the individual pursuant to a prosecution or to ...

persons (for such time as is reasonably necessary for the exercise of any of his/her powers under Section 33 Air Navigations & Transport Act 1988) *

Remove Remove, removed or remover may refer to: * Needle remover * Polish remover * Staple remover * Remove (education) * The degree of cousinship, i.e. "once removed" or "twice removed" - see Cousin chart See also * Deletion (disambiguation) * Moving ...

person's /

Issue Issue or issues may refer to: Publishing * ''Issue'' (company), a mobile publishing company * ''Issue'' (magazine), a monthly Korean comics anthology magazine * Issue (postal service), a stamp or a series of stamps released to the public * '' ...

person's banning orders (these are usually issued in cases of anti-social behaviour) to temporarily prohibit a person's re-entry to the airport. *

Arrest An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...

a person on the minister's land—this includes passenger terminals, cargo areas, car parks, on board aircraft, runways, radar sites or on any air navigation installation—this also includes any other roadways, land or property owned, leased or operated by the Dublin Airport Authority or Minister for Transport, even if it is located outside of an airport's security perimeter fence, for the purpose of handing such persons over to Gardai for investigation and prosecution. *Other powers of

enforcement Enforcement is the proper execution of the process of ensuring compliance with laws, regulations, rules, standards, and social norms. Governments attempt to effectuate successful implementation of policies by enforcing laws and regulations. E ...

conferred upon them, such as those detailed within the airport byelaws. Members of the APS are defined as "competent persons" employed by a public authority under Section 18 of Criminal Justice Act 2006 for the purpose of taking and receiving witness statements in the course of their duties. Dublin Airport Police

Under Section 33 of the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1988 (as amended by the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1998), they can arrest persons in connection with offences under that act or certain other legislation provided such persons are handed over to Gardai as soon as possible. It is an offence to obstruct, impede, assault or impersonate an authorised officer (Each warranted member of the police service is classed as an authorised officer under law.) Each year, officers of the force effect several hundred arrests for a wide variety of offences, including assault, theft, fraud and breach of the public order. Members of the Airport Police are required to transfer custody of their

prisoner A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison. ...

s over to the

Garda Síochána (; meaning "the Guardian(s) of the Peace"), more commonly referred to as the Gardaí (; "Guardians") or "the Guards", is the national police service of Ireland. The service is headed by the Garda Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Gove ...

for investigation and if warranted, to be prosecuted by the

Director of Public Prosecutions The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is the office or official charged with the prosecution of criminal offences in several criminal jurisdictions around the world. The title is used mainly in jurisdictions that are or have been members o ...

. Offences committed under the Airports byelaws detected by the Airport Police can be dealt with by way of reporting for

summons A summons (also known in England and Wales as a claim form and in the Australian state of New South Wales as a court attendance notice (CAN)) is a legal document issued by a court (a ''judicial summons'') or by an administrative agency of governme ...

to the district court to initiate a prosecution on behalf of the Airport Authority, or by the issue of a

fixed penalty notice In the United Kingdom, a fixed penalty notice (FPN) is a notice giving an individual the opportunity to be made immune from prosecution for an alleged criminal offence in exchange for a fee. Fixed penalty notices were introduced in Britain in the ...

Agency relationships

A memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the APS and the

, Office of the Revenue Commissioners and other agencies such as AAIU or the Taxi Regulator sets out each organisation's responsibilities and inter-agency co-operation. The Airport Police have a long-standing and positive relationship with these other agencies. Mutual support and assistance is common. The APS also work closely with the aviation security section within the

Department of Transport The Department for Transport (DfT) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for the English transport network and a limited number of transport matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland that have not been devolved. The d ...

to identify and respond to emerging threats to civil aviation in Ireland. Dublin Airport 1940 terminal building

The APS can undertake initial response to all criminal offences under the Airports and Aviation Acts 1936 to 2004, Airport byelaws and other legislation within the Airport. Any criminal offences however must be reported to Gardai as the airport police have no powers of investigation. However, APS officers will take immediate necessary action prior to the arrival of the Garda Síochána in some cases. Armed

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

s from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) are stationed at a number of airports in Ireland, and armed officers from the

Garda Emergency Response Unit The Emergency Response Unit (ERU) ( ga, Aonad Práinnfhreagartha) is the police tactical unit of the ''Garda Síochána'', Ireland's national police and security service. The unit was a section of the forces' Special Detective Unit (SDU), und ...

(ERU) and regional

Garda Armed Support Unit Armed Support Units (ASU) ( ga, Tacaiochta Faoi Arm) are specialist armed response units of the ''Garda Síochána'', the national police force of Ireland. Based in all six Garda regions in the country, Garda ASU officers carry a combination of ...

s (ASU) sometimes patrol airports, particularly during heightened states of alert.

Ranks

*Police officer (''oifigeach póilíní'') / police dog handler (

APDU In the context of smart cards, an application protocol data unit (APDU) is the communication unit between a smart card reader and a smart card. The structure of the APDU is defined by ISO/IEC 7816-4 ''Organization, security and commands for interch ...

; ''láimhseálaí maidre'') *Sergeant (''sairsint'') *Inspector (''cigire'') *Chief airport police officer (CAPO) Apfs rank markingsg1

Staffing and structure

At Dublin Airport, the Police Service now operates as a separate service to the Airport Fire & Rescue Service recruiting officers directly into either service. Recruitment into the force is currently conducted internally. To be eligible to apply a person must be employed by the

, be over the age of 18 and meet a number of recruitment criteria similar to those that are required of entrants to the Gardaí or

Dublin Fire Brigade The Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB; ga, Briogáid Dóiteáin Átha Cliath) is the local authority fire and rescue service and ambulance service for Dublin City and the majority of the Greater Dublin Area. It is a branch of Dublin City Council. T ...

. A number of officers still rotate duties between both services on a shift by shift or operational requirements basis. In both Cork Airport and Shannon Airport the Police/Fire service is still combined. There are over 300 members of all services between the three airports.

Support units

Although the majority of officers perform uniformed and plain clothes patrol duties, the force also includes a number of varied police operational support units such as a * Airport Police Dog Unit *Investigation Support Section *Training Unit *Access Identification Control Unit

Uniform, equipment, facilities and vehicles

Headgear

Officers wear a navy

peaked cap The peaked cap, peaked hat, service cap, barracks cover or combination cap is a form of headgear worn by the armed forces of many nations, as well as many uniformed civilian organisations such as law enforcement agencies and fire departments. I ...

with the force's cap badge attached when on mobile patrol. Officers holding the rank of inspector or above also wear peaked caps but with slight differences to denote their senior role.

Uniform

When on duty officers wear a dark navy, wicking T-shirt with the words 'Airport Police' on the sleeves, along with dark navy tactical trousers and a pair of

Gore-Tex Gore-Tex is a waterproof, breathable fabric membrane and registered trademark of W. L. Gore & Associates. Invented in 1969, Gore-Tex can repel liquid water while allowing water vapor to pass through and is designed to be a lightweight, waterpr ...

boots. Airport officers no longer use the traditional police jumper, having favoured a black fleece with 'Airport Police' written on the chest and back and the same sequence on the issue high-visibility patrol

blouson A blouson or blouse jacket is a jacket that is drawn tight at the waist, causing it to blouse out and hang over the waistband. Originating in military uniforms of the mid-20th century, versions continue to be used as part of military and poli ...

jacket. Formal dress comprises a dark navy open-necked tunic and uniform trousers, with a blue shirt/blouse and tie. The No.1 uniform is accompanied by black boots or shoes. For ceremonial events such as passing out parades, guards of honour or on funerals duties, a white staple-belt, gloves and shoulder lanyard are worn.

Personal equipment

Members of the APS are required to wear a

stab vest A stab vest or stab proof vest is a reinforced piece of body armor, worn under or over other items of clothing, which is designed to resist knife attacks to the chest, back and sides. Stab vests are different from bulletproof vests, most of ...

whilst on patrol. Currently, officers also wear a high visibility yellow tactical vests In addition, officers carry

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digital radios, Hiatt rigid handcuffs,

torch A torch is a stick with combustible material at one end, which is ignited and used as a light source. Torches have been used throughout history, and are still used in processions, symbolic and religious events, and in juggling entertainment. I ...

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, resuscitation mask and a basic first aid kit.

Facilities

, the Airport Police Station is centrally located on the arrivals road of Terminal 1. The stations public office is open from 07:00 to 23:00 and deals with enquiries from members of the public and staff. All lost property that is found within the airport is also handed in and claimed at this location along, with matters relating to impounded vehicles or unattended baggage or other such offences in accordance with the airport byelaws. Incidents requiring the attention of the Airport Police can be reported there also. The force also operates an emergency phone line for members of the public to contact them on, along with state-of-the-art

police control room In the United Kingdom, an emergency control centre or emergency communications centre (ECC) is a building or room where control room operators receive incoming telephone calls from members of the public in need of assistance. Callers make initial ...

s for the management and co-ordination of the airport's security operations and incident response.

Vehicles and livery

The Airport Police Service uses a selection of vehicles for their individual capabilities and the requirements of the roles for which they are employed these include: * Mitsubishi Outlander - Response/Patrol Vehicle 4x4s *

Ford Transit Connect The Ford Transit Connect is a compact panel van sold by Ford since 2002. Developed by Ford of Europe, the model line replaced sedan-based vans ( Ford Escort and Ford Courier vans) with a dedicated commercial vehicle platform. The model lin ...

- General Purpose/Prisoner Transport Vehicle *

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- Response/Patrol Vehicle *

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- Dog Unit 4x4s The Airport Police Service currently use the standard yellow and blue retro-reflective

Battenberg markings Battenburg markings or Battenberg markings are a pattern of high-visibility markings developed in the United Kingdom in the 1990s and currently seen on many types of emergency service vehicles in the UK, Crown dependencies, British Overseas Ter ...

, together with the force crest, on all marked, operational vehicles. the force also utilize *Unmarked police vehicles *EOD/IED mobile bomb containment systems *Incident control unit All police drivers undergo a standard response driving course. They cannot however, breach any rules of the road and are not entitled to use blue lights or sirens Police vehicles may contain a variety of equipment, which can include

traffic cone Traffic cones, also called pylons, witches' hats, road cones, highway cones, safety cones, channelizing devices, construction cones, or just cones, are usually cone-shaped markers that are placed on roads or footpaths to temporarily redirect tra ...

s, road signs, defibrillators, traffic speed guns and the like.

Airport Fire Rescue Service

Fire and rescue vehicle used at Dublin Airport (2018)

The Airport Fire & Rescue Service ( ga, Seirbhís Dóiteáin an Aerfoirt) (AFRS) operate from the fire station on Dublin Airport's westlands beside the ATC complex and from similar modern fire stations in both Cork & Shannon airports. Dublin Airport also have the largest non-military fire station in Europe. The services provides fire cover to both the entire airport campus, aircraft operations and to surrounding areas on request from their respective local authority fire service e.g.

. An airports fire & rescue service is led by its own

Chief Fire Officer Chief fire officer (CFO), formerly often just chief officer, is the highest rank in the fire and rescue services of the United Kingdom. There are currently 50 chief fire officers serving in the United Kingdom in charge of the local authority fire ...

who has overall responsibility for the delivery of all its mandated roles & services. The AFRS incorporates its own separate rank structure to that of the police. *Firefighter *Station Officer *Aerodrome Fire Officer *Chief Fire Officer The AFRS is classed as a "Rescue Fire Fighting Service" and it is required and maintained by the DAA to satisfy and comply with

Irish Aviation Authority The Irish Aviation Authority (IAA) ( ga, Údaras Eitlíochta na hÉireann) is a commercial semi-state company in Ireland responsible for the regulation of safety aspects of air travel. It is also responsible for providing air traffic control serv ...

licensing and regulatory requirements as per

ICAO The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO, ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that coordinates the principles and techniques of international air navigation, and fosters the planning and development of international a ...

Annex 14 Airport Manual. ICAO-Annex 14 requires the RFFS to be *Professionally organised, adequately equipped, sufficiently staffed and effectively trained to operate the equipment, with a goal of saving lives. In

the fire service also provide an emergency

ambulance An ambulance is a medically equipped vehicle which transports patients to treatment facilities, such as hospitals. Typically, out-of-hospital medical care is provided to the patient during the transport. Ambulances are used to respond to med ...

service, with paramedics trained to Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) standard. The service have a modern array of Crash Rescue Fire appliances along with its own Domestic Class-B Water Ladder Appliances, a

HAZMAT Dangerous goods, abbreviated DG, are substances that when transported are a risk to health, safety, property or the environment. Certain dangerous goods that pose risks even when not being transported are known as hazardous materials ( syllabi ...

unit and a Skylift/Aerial Platform/ Dublin Airport Fire Service gallery alongside a modern aircraft fire simulation rig & their own ex-

Ryanair Ryanair is an Irish ultra low-cost carrier founded in 1984. It is headquartered in Swords, Dublin, Ireland and has its primary operational bases at Dublin and London Stansted airports. It forms the largest part of the Ryanair Holdings famil ...

both of which are used for training purposes. Due to the smaller size of Cork and Shannon airports, the Fire Service are manned by a mix of police and firefighters rotating between roles. In Dublin, the services operate under the umbrella of the APFS, but operate independently to each other, except for a number of officers whom continue to rotate between both services.

Airport Police Fire Service Band

The APFS brass band was formed in October 1995, and gave its first public performance on Dublin Airport in January 1996. The band comprises serving member of both services and associate members, they provide music for official Airport functions (such as Graduation Ceremonies at the Airport Police and Airport Fire & Rescue Service) the band undertakes a community-oriented programme each year performing at schools, festivals and charity events.

References

External links

Dublin Airports Authority official website

Dublin Airport Fire & Rescue Gallery

/ APFS Band website

/ Shannon Airport Fire Service gallery

/ Cork Airport Police Fire Service gallery

Statutory Instruments with mention of the Airport Police Fire Service

/ Airport Police Fire Service feature in RTE Capital D Documentary
{{Europe topic, Law enforcement in Airport law enforcement agencies Specialist law enforcement agencies of the Republic of Ireland 1936 establishments in Ireland