The Port Authority Police Force was created in June 1928 when 40 men were selected to police the Goethals Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing (then known as the Arthur Kill Bridge). These original officers were known as Bridgemen, nine of whom were later promoted to the rank of Bridgemaster, or Sergeants

As the Port Authority facilities increased in number, so did its police force. With the opening of the Holland Tunnel in 1927, three Metropolitan Airports and Marine Terminal in the 1940's, the force grew. In the 1950's the Port Authority Bus Terminal opened. The Port Authority also assumed control of the PATH system formerly known as The Hudson and Manhattan Tubes.

Airports

The Port Authority's protects three major airports, Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International, and LaGuardia, which handle over 80 million air passengers, over 1.1 million aircraft movements, and over 2.5 million tons of air cargo annually. Policing these aviation facilities involves a wide variety of duties. Police personnel cover screening points, respond to all aircraft incidents, and aid travelers from all parts of the world. Escorting and protecting visiting dignitaries is provided for on a daily basis.

The Port Authority Police are also responsible for fire fighting and crash emergency rescue at the three airports and for all other aircraft emergency incidents. Police personnel assigned to fire and rescue duty are highly trained in all phases of these functions including the operation of sophisticated and complex equipment, fire fighting vehicles and water rescue equipment.

Marine terminals

Port Authority Marine Terminal facilities handle thousands of ships, and over 14.5 million tons of cargo per year. Police operations at Port Newark/Elizabeth, and the Brooklyn Piers include traffic control and the prevention and investigation of cargo thefts.

Structure

The Department's headquarters is located in Jersey City, New Jersey. The nerve center of the force is the Central Police Desk, which is located at Journal Square. It is staffed around-the-clock and is the hub of the communications network. There, personnel are assigned to needed areas, all radio transmissions are monitored, and computer terminals are integrated into the NY & NJ Intelligence and Crime Information Systems as well as the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in Washington, D.C. Information received from these sources is supplied to officers in the field when needed.

The PATH system is one of the most intensively policed-rail transit systems in the world. Approximately 200,000 passengers use the PATH system daily. The system's stations are monitored by closed circuit T.V. to aid police personnel in their patrol.

At the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels, the Bayonne, Goethals, and George Washington Bridges, and the Outerbridge Crossing, the Port Authority Police Officers' duties are patrol, traffic control, hazardous cargo inspections, truck weigh and emergency services, as well as enforcement for violations of motor vehicle laws. Police at these crossings have also instituted programs that maintain a constant campaign against drunk driving. The Port Authority operates the largest and busiest Bus Terminal in the nation, accommodating 57 million bus passengers and over 2.2 million bus movements in 2001. Police assignments demand a broad range of functions, everything from locating lost children to aiding everyday commuters. They are responsible for the general security of the facility utilizing a variety of patrol tactics. Police Officer/Social Worker teams patrol the Bus Terminal and identify youngsters that may be runaways, throwaways, or missing persons. They provide crisis intervention counseling, placement with social service agencies, and reunions with families when appropriate. Port Authority Police Academy recruits typically receive 20 weeks of intensive training in New York and New Jersey law, behavioral sciences, public relations, police practices and procedures, laws of arrest, court procedures and testimony. They are also trained in rules of evidence, defensive tactics, first aid, fire fighting, police patrol and traffic duty, firearms training, defensive and pursuit driving, water safety and rescue. Throughout their careers, Port Authority Police Officers return to the Academy both for refresher courses and for training in new techniques added to the curriculum.

The Koebel Memorial Police Firearms Training Center is dedicated to the memory of Police Officer Henry J. Koebel, who was killed in the line of duty in May of 1978. The Police Academy utilizes state-of-the-art equipment where the staff operates eighteen shooting ports within this computerized firearms training facility. Features include moveable target lights and noise controls, shoot/don't shoot situations, as well as standard marksmanship instruction.

Criminal Investigations Bureau

The Criminal Investigations Bureau consists of over 100 Detectives and Supervisors that are specifically trained for crimes occurring at transportation facilities. During the past year the Criminal Investigations Bureau has worked on computerized airline ticket fraud, and property and drug interdictions. They have seized over 10 million dollars of goods including 35 kilos of narcotics. Additionally, the Criminal Investigations Bureau has worked cooperatively with Local, State, and Federal agencies in the fight against crime. Some of these agencies include the New Jersey State Police, the New York City Police Department, United States Customs and Border Patrol and the United States Drug Enforcement Agency. Members of the Criminal Investigations Bureau also work as part of the FBI Joint Terrorist Task Force to prevent terrorist activities in the region.

Emergency Services Unit

The Port Authority Police Emergency Services Unit was founded in 1983, when the bi-state agency's police force purchased a specially equipped vehicle used primarily to respond to motor vehicle and PATH train incidents. The vehicle was acquired following a fire on the PATH system in 1982 that prompted the department's leadership to call for the formation of an emergency response team with specific knowledge of the PATH system. The initial team members were trained in underground rescue, extrication of passengers from PATH train cars and first aid. Emergency Services Unit Members, who have received specialized training to respond to emergency and rescue operations that arise at Port Authority facilities or in other jurisdictions when their expertise is requested are currently assigned to various facilities throughout the Port Authority. Emergency Services Unit members may receive training in the following areas; animal control, hazardous material response, heavy weapon use, bridge and water rescue and tactical operations. Noteworthy cases that the Emergency Services Unit has handled or other jurisdictions in handling include:

K-9 Unit

The Port Authority Police Department formed its K-9 Explosive Detection Unit in the fall of 1996 in response to the crash of TWA Flight 800 off the coast of Long Island that summer. The department subsequently expanded the unit to include a K-9 Narcotics Detection Unit. The K-9 unit, which consists of 33 police officers, two sergeants, one inspector and 33 dogs, patrols all Port Authority facilities on a 24-hour basis. Port Authority Police officers who are members of the K-9 unit must pass a challenging and demanding physical, a physical agility course, participate in a group interview and complete a minimum of 400 hours of K-9 training. The most popular dog in the unit is the German Shepherd. The unit also has Labradors, a Belgium Shepherd and a Golden Retriever. The dogs are trained to detect either explosives or narcotics, but not both. The unit currently has 25 dogs trained to detect explosives, including 12 certified by the federal Transportation Security Administration. There are eight dogs trained in narcotics detection. The K-9 explosive detection teams patrol and search aircraft, airline and cargo buildings, bus terminals, subway stations, vehicles, and unattended luggage and packages. The K-9 narcotic detection teams patrol and perform a variety of searches at Port Authority facilities and are also used by other government agencies.

Motorcycle Unit

The Port Authority Police Department operates a motorcycle unit that consists of a sergeant and 13 police officers. The unit is responsible for patrolling Port Authority tunnels and bridges, with the primary duties of traffic enforcement, truck checks, VIP movements and funeral details. Each member of the unit is assigned his own motorcycle. Before joining the unit, each member must complete the Northwestern University/Harley Davidson Police Officer Training Program.

Firefighting and Crash Emergency

In June 1998, the Port Authority Police Department opened a state-of-the-art Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting Fuel Spill Trainer Facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The facility, one of the largest of its kind in the nation, is used to train Port Authority Police officers in aircraft rescue and firefighting techniques. It allows officers to train for emergency situations in a controlled environment. The centerpiece of the training center is a 125-foot diameter pit that uses clean-burning propane to simulate a fire. It also features a 75-foot-long aircraft mockup with a broken wing section. Computer controls allow for the creation of firefighting scenarios that vary in size, difficulty and intensity. Each year, more than 600 Port Authority officers are cross-trained as aircraft rescue firefighters for the region's three major airports - John F. Kennedy International, Newark Liberty International, and LaGuardia airports. Port Authority Police assigned to aircraft rescue and firefighting undergo rigorous training twice a year to achieve and maintain Federal Aviation Administration certification.

Terrorist Attacks

On February 26, 1993 and again on September 11, 2001 the Port Authority's World Trade Center complex was the target of terrorist attacks. Even though the complex housed over 50,000 employees and accommodated 70,000 visitors per day, the heroic efforts of the Port Authority Police, the New York City Police, the New York City Fire Department, New York City EMS, along with countless others helped to minimize the loss of life. The Port Authority Police suffered the worst loss of Police personnel in a single event in American history. Thirty seven Police Officers along with one Police K-9 made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11th.

The Port Authority Police force has evolved through a history of many challenges. They have developed into a force of professional and dedicated men and women always ready to serve and protect the people who work at and travel through Port Authority facilities.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) is a bi-state agency (operated pursuant to an interstate compact) that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the New York–New Jersey Port District. This 1,500 mile² (3,900 km²) District is defined as a circle with a 25-mile (40-km) radius centered on the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor. Established on April 30, 1921, as the Port of New York Authority, the name of the agency and its form of operation were changed to their present form in 1972.

Overview

The Port Authority currently specializes in transportation, but it was founded to manage the Port of New York itself. Originally the port facilities were in New York and Brooklyn, but now virtually all of the docks and wharves are in Newark and Elizabeth. The Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal was the first in the nation to containerize and is now the fifteenth busiest in the world. It moved over $100 billion in goods in 2003.

The Port Authority also operates its own 1,600-member police department, which is responsible for providing safety and deterring criminal activity at Port Authority–owned-and-operated facilities.

Although the Port Authority does run a good portion of the transportation structures, some bridges, tunnels, and other transportation facilities are operated independently of the Port Authority, including the Staten Island Ferry, which is operated by the New York City Department of Transportation; bridges, tunnels, buses, subways, and commuter rail operated by the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority; and buses, commuter rail, and light rail operated by the New Jersey Transit.

Facilities

Seaports

Airports

Airports operated by the Port Authority include John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport, both of which are located in Queens, New York; Newark Liberty International Airport, located in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey; and Teterboro Airport, located in Teterboro, New Jersey. The Authority also operates the Downtown Manhattan Heliport.

Bridges and tunnels

Other facilities managed by the Port Authority include the Lincoln Tunnel, the Holland Tunnel, and the George Washington Bridge, which all connect Manhattan and northern New Jersey; the Goethals Bridge and the Outerbridge Crossing (previously the Arthur Kill Bridges and currently the Staten Island Bridges); and the Bayonne Bridge.

Bus and train transit

The Port Authority Bus Terminal and the George Washington Bridge Bus Station; the Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) rapid transit system linking lower and midtown Manhattan with New Jersey; the AirTrain Newark system linking Newark International Airport with the Northeast Corridor rail line of the New Jersey Transit and Amtrak; the AirTrain JFK system linking JFK with Howard Beach (Subway) and Jamaica (Subway and Long Island Rail Road [LIRR]);

Real estate

The PANY&NJ operates a number of real estate projects including the World Trade Center site.

Governance

The Port Authority is jointly headed by the governors of New York and New Jersey. Each governor, with the approval of his or her state senate, appoints six members to the Board of Commissioners. These members serve overlapping six-year terms without pay. A governor can veto actions by the commissioners from the same state. Meetings of the Board of Commissioners are public.

Financially, the Port Authority has no power to tax and does not receive tax money from any local or state governments. Instead, it operates on the revenues it makes from its rents, tolls, fees, and facilities.

An Executive Director is appointed by the Board of Commissioners to deal with day-to-day operations and to execute the Port Authority's policies.

Former Executive Directors

September 11, 2001 Attacks

The devastating terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and the subsequent collapse of the World Trade Center buildings had an immense impact on the Port Authority. As the Port Authority's headquarters was located in 1 World Trade Center, it became deprived of a base of operations and sustained a great number of casualties. The Port Authority lost a total of 84 employees, including 37 Port Authority Police Officers and its Executive Director, Neil D. Levin.