Skip over navigation
Serving Ottawa > Sections & Units > Airport Policing Section

Airport Policing Section

In February, 1997 the Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Authority (OMCIAA), assumed responsibility for the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport as the result of the decision by Transport Canada to delegate the management of Class I Airports in Canada to not-for-profit Airport Authorities. As part of this change, the responsibility of contracting policing services at these facilities was transferred to the nine affected Airport Authorities.

In April, 1997 the Ottawa Police Service assumed responsibility for Protective Policing Services at the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, Canada's sixth largest airport. The service provided by the Airport Policing Section is one that has been contractually entered into with the OMCIAA.

While the duties and responsibilities of the Airport Policing Section are comprised of all the normal duties expected of a police officer, as outlined in the Ontario Police Services Act, the primary contractual responsibilities involve responding to the pre-board screening areas and providing an armed, uniformed presence in the Passenger Terminal Building. Secondary duties include foot patrols, traffic enforcement, both on the Airport's roadways and on the airfield, explosives detection as well as responding to all airport related emergencies.

The Airport Policing Section is a component of the Emergency Operations Division, of the Ottawa Police Service. The Section is responsible for providing policing service to the more that 3.6 million travelers each year, from all over the world that travel through the Nation's Capital by air.

The Airport Policing Section is located on the ground floor of the new airport terminal building. Members receive specialized training, which enables them to work more effectively in a specialized airport environment. The Ottawa Police work closely with other law enforcement and government agencies at the airport, to ensure the safety of everyone who utilizes the facility.

The Ottawa Police Service - Airport Policing Section is an associate member of the Airport Law Enforcement Agencies Network. In 2004 the Ottawa Police Service, in conjunction with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police hosted the ALEAN Spring Conference in Ottawa. This was the first time in the group's sixteen year history that the Conference has been held outside the United States.

Visit the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport Web site.