Isle of Man Airport Police was a small police force responsible for policing the Isle of Man Airport in Ronaldsway, Isle of Man. In April 2019 it was announced that the role of the airport police was being placed under review and that subsequently the role of providing security at Ronaldsway Airport could be undertaken by a private contractor.Consequently the Isle of Man Airport Police were disbanded at the end of September 2019.
Organisation
The Isle of Man Airport Police was staffed by thirteen sworn and warranted constables, supervised by managers who are also warranted constables. Having completed training they were sworn-in by an Isle of Man Commissioner of Oaths, and received warrant cards as sworn constables, assuming the title of Aviation Security Officer. They held the same authority and powers as a regular police officer whilst on airport property. They were also authorised to act on behalf of the Coroner at the Airport when required. Cover was provided 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, whether the airport was open or closed. Aviation Security Officers were fully integrated into the airport's staff structure, so that the airport police had no management grades, with sworn constables carrying out the duties of their office on the ground, but reporting to managers who shared their police powers. The managers of airport police officers were the Airport Duty Officers who held the rank of Sergeant, and their effective Chief Officer was the Airport Director. Current Airport Director Ann Reynolds stated at the time of her appointment that the officers "provide first class policing for this major point of entry to our Island".
Headquarters
The Headquarters, and only police station, of the Isle of Man Airport Police was the Aviation Security Section Building on the Ronaldsway airport estate. From here officers would patrol the "airport estate and adjacent areas".
Qualifications and duties
The stated qualifications required of an officer were:
In 2009 David Pownall, who had been a sworn constable in the Isle of Man Airport Police for 17 years, was dismissed following charges of unprofessional conduct and falsifying records of his patrols. His appeal to a tribunal for unfair dismissal was subsequently upheld, despite his admission of falsifying records. Key evidence from several different aviation security officers, also supported by a petitioning letter from five airport security officers, alleged a pattern of disruptive and bullying behaviour on the part of a named Airport Duty Officer. Another constable, Brian Kelly, gave evidence that in his opinion officers were being deliberately victimised and targeted for dismissal because they had stood up to bullying by the named ADO. Despite the officers being asked to provide any evidence of such bullying, neither were able to do so.
