The Port of Oakland is keeping the peace skies-side, renewing a 7-year contract with the Alameda County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) to oversee law enforcement duties at the Oakland International Airport (OAK) until 2031. The extension comes after official nods from the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners and the Alameda County Board of Supervisors, ensuring that the air hub's watch will not change hands for nearly another decade.
Under this contract, which has been in action since 2004, deputies from ACSO have been tasked with keeping a vigilant eye over the comings and goings at OAK. Working in concert with Port staff, they face the tall order of addressing threats that terror and crime cast over the everyday traveler. "Our relationship with Alameda County Sheriff’s Office is an essential one for the safe, secure, and smooth operation of Oakland International Airport," Craig Simon, Interim Director of Aviation at the Port of Oakland, expressed in a statement obtained by the Oakland Airport.
Commander C. Lucia of ACSO echoed these sentiments, telling the Oakland Airport about the office's continued enthusiasm, "The Alameda County Sheriff’s Office is excited to continue our partnership with the Port of Oakland and the Oakland International Airport. We look forward to providing outstanding Police Services for OAK and its customers."
However, the ACSO doesn’t operate in isolation. Keeping OAK secure is a group effort with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Oakland Police Department (OPD), the Port’s Aviation Security team, and private security swinging into the fray alongside. This extensive security lineup underscores the airport's commitment against potential threats, reminding travelers to "see something, say something," and to dial 911 if eyewitness to a crime or emergency.
