Security Risks at Sky Harbor

Following up on information from a source, KNXV reporter Lisa Fletcher and her team spent the night in Phoenix’s Sky Harbor Airport. They resembled other stranded travelers who would crunch themselves into an uncomfortable overnight stay. Their camera, however, inside the handle of a suitcase, recorded a sequence of events almost unbelievable in today’s security conscious circumstances. At midnight, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees shut down the airport’s x-ray machines and metal detectors and left for the night. The security guard who came on duty then allowed airport employees and delivery personnel to enter the airport at will, carrying backpacks and lunch boxes, suitcases and purses, even a bicycle. KNXV’s story appeared on a 10 p.m. Friday broadcast, complete with interviews with security experts and plenty of startling video. By Monday, results were beginning to be known. The local Federal Security Director was suspended and later replaced. TSA also queried policies at airports throughout the country to make sure such breaches were not occurring in other locations. For an outstanding report that helped assure the safety of citizens, Security Risks at Sky Harbor receives a Peabody Award.