Governor Boosts Deployment of National Guard at Airports

Gov. Gray Davis said Thursday that 245 additional National Guard troops will be stationed at California airports through the holiday season, implementing a security measure President Bush took last week to assure travelers that they are safe from terrorism.

The extra troops, who will be on duty until Jan. 6, bring the total number of National Guard at the state’s airports to more than 1,000, Davis said in a news conference at Sacramento International Airport before boarding a commercial flight to Los Angeles.

Camouflaged troops with M-16 assault rifles stood sentry over the entrances to the airport as Davis addressed the media, flanked by California Highway Patrol Commissioner D.O. “Spike” Helmick; George Vinson, Davis’ new security advisor; and Maj. Gen. Paul D. Monroe Jr., head of the California National Guard.

“These additional personnel will provide even more security to the traveling public and give them even more peace of mind,” Davis said. “We all want to do our part to make holiday travel as safe and convenient as possible.”

Last month, Bush called up nearly 7,000 National Guard troops nationwide to help with airport security. Last week, he added 2,000 to assist airports during the busy holiday travel season. The federal government is reimbursing states for the cost of the deployment, which was initially estimated at $150 million, but is now expected to be about $200 million.

Of the 30 major airports in California, 28 have National Guard troops stationed on the premises, and 23 of them have requested more. The additional troops, at the discretion of the Federal Aviation Administration and local authorities, will help protect air control towers, secure areas around terminals, monitor curbside activity and search vehicles.

Davis said he has asked FAA Administrator Jane Garvey for permission to also use the soldiers to inspect baggage. The state receives reimbursement for the deployment only if the troops complete tasks approved by the federal agency.

Many airline employees and security experts have said that increased baggage checks are greatly needed. But the FAA has yet to include bag searches among the duties for Guard members.

Los Angeles International Airport, the state’s largest, will receive more than 60 additional troops, Davis said. At LAX, Bernard Wilson, chief of airport police, said they will be used to inspect vehicles, patrol the airfield and help airport police conduct other searches.

Davis said he is also talking to federal officials to make sure that Guard troops receive all the required protections for the jobs they have left behind during the deployment.

Though federal officials have pledged to repay states for the National Guard deployment, there is still uncertainty over who will cover the overall costs that state and local law enforcement agencies are incurring in guarding against terrorism.

Davis believes it is strictly a federal responsibility, and said he has spoken to Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) and California Sen. Dianne Feinstein about the problem. Davis said he and other governors also have raised the issue with Homeland Security Director Thomas J. Ridge.

Though Davis said he could not estimate the cost to local governments in California, he expected it to be similar to the state’s expenses, which are running between $400,000 and $1 million per day.

The California Police Chiefs Assn. said it will try to estimate for Davis and the Legislature the new costs that terrorism has imposed on local and state law enforcement agencies, fire departments, hospitals and other emergency response organizations.

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Times staff writers Carl Ingram and Jennifer Oldham contributed to this report.