Mineta San Jose Considers Outsourcing Airport Police, Firefighters

SAN JOSE (KCBS) - San Jose has started negotiating a deal for the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office to patrol Mineta San Jose International, and for a private company to handle fire-related emergencies.

San Jose police worry the estimated $10 million that would be saved by outsourcing police and firefighting duties at SJC could mean slower response times and officers less familiar with the beat.

"It's such a specific duty that you really need people assigned here and only here," said Captain Jeff Smith, in charge of airport operations for the San Jose Police Department.

KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:

The department assigns police officers to duty at Mineta San Jose International for three years. Smith said it's likely the sheriff's deputies would be rotated more frequently.

Other have outsourced police work.

Honolulu International Airport has used contract police services and Oakland International Airport has relied on both the Alameda County Sheriff's Department and the Oakland Police Department over the years, Vossbrink said.

"We're not the first to look at it, but we're probably the first to do it at an airport of this size," he said.

A private security firm, Wackenhut Services, would handle firefighting.

The city council is expected to make a final decision on outsourcing by the end of April.

(© 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)