Iowa airport officials want more control over the National Guard troops stationed in their terminals. Des Moines aviation director Bill Flannery says the guardsmen are stationed at baggage check-in but he’s paying police or private contractors to guard cars, and do “perimeter security.”Flannery says he could use more guards, but lacking that, he would settle for more control. He says the guard’s role is to be visible, and if we have them out there, it follows that requirement. But Colonel Mike Gardner says the Guard has its orders from the president.Gardner says they aren’t trained for some of those duties, and they’re following orders to check baggage in the airport and not do law-enforcement outside. Colonel Gardner’s chief of staff for the Iowa Army National Guard. He knows the airport managers would like to get more guards, more money and more services.Every state got assigned an amount of money and troops to do the security, and that’s all they can offer. Gardner says guard troops don’t have police powers to arrest offenders, so they can’t replace officers. And he points out calling up more guard members would take some away from their everyday jobs at local police and fire departments.
