An ordinance to allow aviation police officers to carry firearms at Chicago’s O’Hare and Midway airports has been introduced at a city council meeting. The order was proposed by police veteran and Alderman Chris Taliaferro, after a recent CNN investigation exposed the fact that aviation police officers are not only unarmed, but are told to “run and hide” if there is a shooter.
Nationwide, these are the only two airports that do not allow aviation police officers to carry guns. Instead, they must ask for assistance from the Chicago police force if and when encountering armed individuals.
“This should have been done a long time ago,” Taliaferro told CNN. “To be honest with you, I’m very afraid in situations where we do have increased terrorist attacks, we may be vulnerable in not arming the aviation police. We are leaving our officers at a risk of harm.” Chicago’s city council public safety committee will review the proposal.
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