Pinole Officer In Hawaii Stops Attack On TSA Agent
PINOLE (KPIX 5) -- A Pinole police officer on a Hawaiian vacation is being praised for stopping an attack on a Transportation Security Administration agent at an airport checkpoint last week.
According to authorities, Corporal Justin Rogers and his family were in a security line at the Honolulu International Airport around 12:50 p.m. Saturday. As they waited to pass through a body scanning machine, Rogers heard a commotion and saw a woman attack a female TSA officer.
With no other security personnel around, Rogers jumped a short security wall, ran up behind the woman and tackled her to the floor, authorities said.
When airport authorities arrived, Rogers identified himself as a police officer. Authorities said Rogers secured the suspect with handcuffs supplied by an airport officer.
After giving a statement to local authorities, Rogers and his family were able to board their flight back to the Bay Area. The officer was thanked by local police, airport security and the TSA.
"Mahalo, Officer Rogers! TSA joins the citizens of Pinole in saluting your heroic actions," said TSA Northwest Region spokesperson Lorie Dankers.
Rogers is out of town for a wedding this week and is expected to return to work next week, according to the Pinole Police Department.
The video has become the talk of the department, according to dispatcher Tracy Borghesani. " I thought, typical Justin, he's always on duty. I couldn't be prouder of him. He's always a cop and he definitely did the right thing," he said.
Rogers is a seven-year veteran of the department as a traffic officer on motorcycle. He is the son of a retired sergeant.
The suspect has been charged with assault, according to authorities.
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