Original Article Sky Harbor to upgrade its security Surveillance system designed to detect terrorist intruders Ginger D. Richardson The Arizona Republic Nov. 6, 2005 12:00 AM Sky Harbor International Airport is prepared to spend up to $15 million on surveillance equipment designed to detect terrorists or other criminals lurking around the airport's edges. The technology, known as a perimeter intrusion detection system, could consist of lasers and closed-circuit televisions, new fence-line wiring and below-ground sensors. None of the upgrades is being mandated by the federal government. While security at Sky Harbor meets or exceeds current standards, airport officials say they still believe the expense is necessary. "Every airport in the country met the standards the day of the September 11 attacks," said Carl Newman, assistant aviation director. "No one said the folks in Boston didn't meet those standards, but clearly there was room for improvement." The intrusion system could better protect Sky Harbor from such remote threats as terrorists launching shoulder-fired missiles from just outside the airport, to petty criminals who try to outrun police by climbing over the fence. The TSA is testing similar perimeter security systems at a handful of airports nationwide, said Nico Melendez, an agency spokesman. The technology likely will not be in place until 2007 or later. Currently, the airport uses police patrols and other measures that officials declined to discuss - for security reasons - to protect Sky Harbor from attack. Officials are not yet sure which technologies and sensors will be used where. A subcommittee of the Aviation Advisory Board is expected to vote Monday to hire a consultant to evaluate the airport's 14 miles of fencing to determine what is needed. That process is expected to cost $650,000 and take six to nine months to complete. The move to shore up the perimeter is not the result of a security breach this summer in which a man in a stolen truck plowed through the fence and wound up on the taxiway. The man sped past several airplanes before crashing into a second fence. It prompted officials to re-evaluate the airport's fence line; more than $16 million in improvements, including cable restraint systems, concrete barriers and hydraulic gates have been recommended. But those upgrades focus more on vehicular threats. The new proposals are designed to stop covert people from breaching the perimeter and are the result of a master security plan commissioned by Sky Harbor officials after the Sept. 11 attacks. Airport officials have earmarked about $100 million over 10 years for improvements, which so far have included bomb-proofing, installing explosive-resistant garbage cans, instituting a new fingerprinting system, placing barricades in front of doors and beefing up the number of dog teams on the premises. Money for the work comes from Sky Harbor's capital improvement program. Reach the reporter at ginger.richardson@arizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-2474.