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Airport Watch and Spotters' Participation
The use of aviation enthusiasts (spotters) within the Airport Watch and the Jetway Program (Hyperlink to Pipeline/Convoy/Jetway Best Practice) at the Ottawa International Airport is a new initiative providing enhanced crime prevention and detection as well as better security at and around the airport at virtually no cost. This new addition evolved from the need for a more active airport watch program where dedicated observers can watch for suspicious activity rather than rely strictly on airport employees who are already inside the security perimeter. These "spotters" are on the outside of the perimeter and do not outwardly pose a threat to possible criminals.
The aviation industry is a world leader in safety through prevention. When persons think of aviation crime, the most notable incidents would be terrorism by aircraft bombing and hijacking. Although these types of crimes are rare in Canada, they have unfortunately occurred. In addition to these most serious crimes, other more common incidents such as theft, vandalism and smuggling also affects the well-being of any airport, its employees and its clients.
Crime prevention at airports is not unlike home crime prevention. It is based on anticipating risks and dealing with them. By removing an open invitation to criminals it will most often deter them from carrying out their crime in the first place. Most crimes occur because the opportunity presented itself and there was a low risk of getting caught. An aggressive airport watch program which includes crime prevention, is the basis for eliminating, or at least reducing to a minimum the risk of all crimes at an airport. This initiative demonstrates that by using "spotters" as volunteers in our airport watch program, it could greatly enhance the detection and prevention of crime.
Strategic intelligence on persons or parties that would profit from serious aviation crime is obtained through police and intelligence agencies throughout the country as well as from agencies of allied countries. Airport security at the Ottawa International Airport is coordinated by Security Operations Centre (SOC) staffed by members of the Corps of Commissionaires (C of C) and with Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police Service providing the armed response. Passive observation is provided by dozens of remote cameras at critical locations in and around the main terminal. Transport Canada also provides a security and safety officer. The RCMP provides resources with a sub-unit of National Security Investigations Section. This plainclothes unit provides a variety of services including assistance to other agencies.
The Airport Watch at Ottawa's international airport includes the traditional partners such as the Airport Authority employees, First Air, Air Canada, Hudson General and general aviation services employees as well as the Canada Reception Centre (CRC), National Research Council (NRC), Environment Canada and the Ministry of Health.
An innovative addition to the regular Airport Watch program are the persons that visit the airport on a regular basis simply to watch movements on and around the field. These persons are known world-wide as "spotters" and they are common to any large airport, military or civilian.
The term "spotters" originated in England about eighty years ago during the height of the steam engine era. These persons "spotted" approaching trains to record their engine numbers and traded this information with others as a hobby. Today, this pastime is well organized in the UK and Europe and is supported by most international airports. Many "spotters" are retired and are former military personnel. Others are students or pilots. They all have an interest in aviation in general and have a very good knowledge of the airport"s perimeter layout. They may spend hours at a time located on public access roads watching aircraft from the perimeter fence. They are usually equipped with binoculars, flight schedules, radio scanner and cellular telephone. Being familiar with these surroundings, many are aware of other visitors to the airport, both regular and irregular.
Initially, many of these "spotters" were approached by Cst. Brunelle to gauge their interest in participating in the Airport Watch and their suitability for such a program. All expressed an interest given that they already spend so much time on site. Additionally, they have all agreed to submit to a security clearance. Some were even relieved to know that their presence near the perimeter was not unwelcomed. Less than a year later, twenty "spotters" have been recruited. About half of their numbers were brought into the program by being referred by the original eleven participants. One of the gentleman was a former curator of the National Aviation Museum, two others were World War II Parachute Regiments veterans, others were student pilots, former RCAF pilot officers, two were church ministers and retired government security officers and the others are currently employed as authors, artists, consultants, computer engineers, etc. They all have a common bond in the appreciation of aviation in all forms. Most are very familiar with aircraft in general and could readily notice anything suspicious or if an aircraft was in obvious danger as they watch them about the field.
Management were impressed with the calibre of the volunteers and they were advised that this was not a replacement for current security programs now in place, but rather an enhancement. Their direct action in offences-in-progress, should one occur, is fully discouraged. They are simply asked to be eyes and ears for the travelling public while they enjoy their favourite pastime.
Although there is no minimum time a "spotter" must spend at the airport in order to take part in the program, the average "spotter" visits about five times per week with some visiting the airport about three times a day! Whether or not there is such a program in place, "spotters" will visit larger airports. What this program has done thus far, is to organize their presence by letting each know who the other bonafide "spotters" are for their own safety while in remote areas of the airport. It has made them more aware of the risks to security and safety at the airport so that they can call airport security directly if required. The program allows for some control over who these "spotters" are by conducting security checks and by providing some rules as to what they can do. As the "spotters" are now contributing directly to the well-being of the airport and all clients, it was approved that they be given escorted access once or twice a year to the apron for the viewing of a particular aircraft. During the meetings that took place to get this portion of the program off the ground, the Airport Authority provided for some refreshments and Ottawa Airport baseball hats for the "spotters".
The benefits to such a program are for everyone. Clearly, the winners are all those who can benefit from better security at and around airports at almost no cost. The RCMP can benefit from this program as we have a presence at all major airports, even if that presence is a plainclothes one at some of them. In any event, our clients everywhere cannot lose with such a program. The success of this initiative is showed in a recent a case where a spotter's connection with spotters at another airport (North Bay) enable us to track down the arrivals and departures of a suspect cargo company we were collecting intelligence on. Not only was the airline's presence confirmed, but the local spotter also had the registrations of each of their aircraft and the dates they were there. "Spotters" are now seen as an asset and they are actively supported by the airport authorities.
By using the Jetway Program (Hyperlink to Pipeline/Convoy/Jetway Best Practice) training and techniques and providing information to "spotters" on what to look for, it is anticipated that we will accomplish even better results in the detection and seizure of contraband from criminals using air and major airports as mode of transportation to move and smuggle illegal goods.
Cst Jacques Brunelle
Ottawa (Macdonald-Cartier) International Airport
National Security Investigations Section,
Criminal Operations Branch, "A" Division,
(613) 998-1740
Cst. Gary Davidson,
Ottawa-Carleton Regional Police Service
Airport Unit.
(613) 236-1222 Ext 5961
© RCMP-GRC Sept. 27, 1999
