Bizarre Aussie airport breaches turn the spotlight on AFP staff shortages

A string of bizarre intrusions have exposed a major gap in security at airports across Australia.

An attempted carjacking at knifepoint and a string of bizarre security breaches in which stolen mobile air stairs were driven erratically across a tarmac have exposed a critical shortage of police officers at Australian airports.

It has been revealed that as two Australian Federal Police (AFP) raced to the scene of the potentially violent carjacking, they had no backup and the rest of the airport was left unguarded.

Air stairs on the back of a truck were stolen and driven around Sydney airport. Picture: Richard Gosling

Three recent incidents, in which intruders were arrested after scaling the exterior airport perimeter fences and stealing the air stairs, have caused major headaches for the AFP with staffing so tight an investigation team based at the airport has been relocated to the city to work on other crime types.

Officers working in specialist areas have also been called in to backfill empty positions on the day shifts at the airport.

The AFP sent a team of protective service officers to Qatar to protect the Australian Socceroos. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

It comes as the AFP, which is seen as the go-to agency for the Federal Government, is asked to undertake more and more tasks, has been depleted of officers by natural attrition and most recently had to send a team of protective services officers to Qatar to guard the Socceroos.

Police sources say the staffing crisis has sparked growing concerns about officer and public safety in all major airports, including Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Australian Federal Police officers on duty at Sydney Airport. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Swift

They said they are running short of surveillance and technical teams, which is impacting investigations and is one reason why state forces are “creeping into the traditional AFP space” because they have had to ask them for help.

An AFP spokeswoman denied the force was being hampered by staff or funding shortages, and said a surge capacity is available 24 hours to respond to incidents at an airport requiring an additional police presence.

Sydney Airport was the scene of an attempted car jacking and a string of security breaches in which intruders scaled the perimeter fences. Picture: AAP Image/Peter Rae

AFP Assistant Commissioner Specialist Protective Command Scott Lee this week revealed, from May to October, the AFP charged more than 330 alleged offenders with about 420 charges relating to offensive behaviour, prohibited weapons, carrying prohibited items, public disturbance and assault at airports.

Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Lee said there have been hundreds of arrests at airports in the past six months. Picture: NCA NewsWire/David Swift

In the past 12 months, the AFP responded to more than 800 aviation alcohol-related incidents at airports which include Canberra, Darwin, Cairns, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

The Australian Federal Police Association (AFPA) has expressed concern at the staffing levels at airports.

“We recently held a muster at the airport (Sydney), and some of the issues raised concerned us. We’ll be taking those issues to the AFP,” said AFPA president Alex Caruana.

“The AFPA understands that the airport has limited policing presence during the night shift,” Mr Caruana said.

Australian Federal Police Association president Alex Caruana said members were complaining of a critical staff shortfall. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

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“ … it creates vulnerability to the airport precincts and is a safety concern for the officers on duty … if a serious incident occurs within the precinct, it can require many resources to respond, and we aren’t sure if those resources are in place or available.”

Mr Caruana said the attempted carjacking incident was concerning as the AFP officers responded to a violent incident without backup or assistance.

“The other issue is that, while these members responded to this incident, who was left patrolling the airport precincts?”

There have been a string of security breaches at Sydney airports. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

He said the most common issue for AFP officers is staffing numbers and insufficient resources to conduct investigations.

“Members regularly inform us that jobs are being referred to state and territory police services as the AFP doesn’t have the resources or the capacity to conduct the investigation.

The AFP spokeswoman said claims the organisation was passing on AFP matters to NSW Police were incorrect.

“The AFP and NSW Police have a MoU [Memorandum of Understanding] governing responsibilities for matters in and around the airport precinct. NSW Police will take the investigative lead on some matters …”

Dr John Coyne is the head of the Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. He said police were asked to do more with less. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Gary Ramage

Dr John Coyne, head of Strategic Policing and Law Enforcement program at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, said the AFP were asked to do more and more with less and there were recruiting problems, given the low rate unemployment rate.

Dr Coyne said all police have to undergo the very difficult process of setting priorities and “they are incredibly tough decisions to make”.

He said one way ahead may be for the Federal Government to make a clear statement about what is an acceptable staffing model and whether the states and territories should take over the airport roles with the Federal Government paying the bill.

“They (all police) are never going to have all the resources needed; compromises need to be made,” he said.