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An open letter to our representatives in congress:
Dear Sens. Casey and Fetterman and U.S. Reps. Cartwright and Meuser:
You are likely aware that the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office employs the law enforcement officers who protect the airport employees, airline staff and traveling public on the grounds of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport. Historically, the salaries of these officers were reimbursed by funding from the federal government so that the burden of paying to protect travelers dispersing from our airport to the world at large was not borne solely by Luzerne County taxpayers.
On April 16, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security and Transportation Security Administration instructed that this funding ends May 1, 2024. Specifically, we were advised that H.R. 2822, The Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, which “largely supported the Fiscal Year 2024 President’s Budget Request, include(ed) necessary cuts to some areas.” Apparently, one of these areas is all funding for airport police officers. Again, these cuts are effective May 1, 2024, 14 days after we were notified, and the airport was instructed to terminate all agreements with law enforcement under the reimbursement program.
We simply cannot have “homeland security” while the government cuts the funding that literally provides the police with the authority to make arrests at our airports. Our office is calling upon you to help resecure the funding that pays these officers for their invaluable services and the risks they take to keep us safe, and unfortunately, time is not on our side.
Samuel M. Sanguedolce
Luzerne County District Attorney