Well I went back down to ISP today to turn the tables on them. This time I'd be the one asking the questions. First off they were shocked to see me. One of the officers who took part in last night’s events was there. When I walked in the office her mouth just dropped. I asked them about taking pictures from public roads and I was told first that the road I was on was owned by the airport and is private, BTW ISP is owned by the town of Islip which makes it a pubic road and public property, but then I was told it was a public road in the very same sentence. I then began asking them about their training and was it common practice for officers to accuse someone of something without proof or just cause? Again they didn't have a clear answer. I was told that it was a Suffolk County Police issue and not an Islip Airport Police issue.
This is when I asked who's in charge of security at ISP. I was first told it was the TSA, but since I was on a public road (only a min ago I was told it was a private road) Suffolk Police were responsible, and then he began to tell me that Islip Airport Police were in charge of perimeter security. So I asked again who's in charge of security at the airport... He paused for a second and said it was a joint venture between the TSA, Islip Airport Police, and Suffolk County. Pretty scary that the security at Islip McArthur has no clear direction of whom is in-charge. Seems to me that is a bigger issue then people who like to take pictures of planes. I asked again about taking pictures at the airport and was first told I couldn’t but then was told I was allowed to take pictures inside the terminal but not outside the terminal. I just left one alone, talk about a moron.
I did get the sense that they were not happy I was asking them about their jobs and their procedures. They continued to state that aviation photography aids terrorists. I asked how specifically my photos helped terrorists. They told me that the photos on Jet Photos and ANet reveal allot of information about a plane, like what kind of plane it is and the tail number. I couldn't believe what I was hearing so I proceeded to inform them that you could go to Boeing.com and download exact product specifications about any plane Boeing produces. They didn't have an answer.
I've already written my local Gov't leaders and gave ISP notice that I will continue to take photos of planes, as it is not illegal to do so. Wasn't it President Bush who got on T.V countless times in commercials stating that Americans conduct their lives in a normal fashion and enjoy life? Well if ISP has a problem with my hobby let them take it up with President Bush.
This is when I asked who's in charge of security at ISP. I was first told it was the TSA, but since I was on a public road (only a min ago I was told it was a private road) Suffolk Police were responsible, and then he began to tell me that Islip Airport Police were in charge of perimeter security. So I asked again who's in charge of security at the airport... He paused for a second and said it was a joint venture between the TSA, Islip Airport Police, and Suffolk County. Pretty scary that the security at Islip McArthur has no clear direction of whom is in-charge. Seems to me that is a bigger issue then people who like to take pictures of planes. I asked again about taking pictures at the airport and was first told I couldn’t but then was told I was allowed to take pictures inside the terminal but not outside the terminal. I just left one alone, talk about a moron.
I did get the sense that they were not happy I was asking them about their jobs and their procedures. They continued to state that aviation photography aids terrorists. I asked how specifically my photos helped terrorists. They told me that the photos on Jet Photos and ANet reveal allot of information about a plane, like what kind of plane it is and the tail number. I couldn't believe what I was hearing so I proceeded to inform them that you could go to Boeing.com and download exact product specifications about any plane Boeing produces. They didn't have an answer.
I've already written my local Gov't leaders and gave ISP notice that I will continue to take photos of planes, as it is not illegal to do so. Wasn't it President Bush who got on T.V countless times in commercials stating that Americans conduct their lives in a normal fashion and enjoy life? Well if ISP has a problem with my hobby let them take it up with President Bush.
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