Airport Police

Mark R. Madler A former Bob Hope Airport police officer is suing the airport authority, the city and her former boss, alleging she was unfairly fired when she rejected unwanted advances by a female supervisor while off duty. Elaine Ruiz, who filed the lawsuit on July 8 in Los Angeles County Superior Court, is seeking unspecified monetary damages for loss of earnings, back pay and emotional distress. The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority, the city of Burbank and Sgt. Sheri Dillon were named as the defendants in the lawsuit.

Youths enrolled in the city's Summer Daze day camp learned how airport police and fire departments handle emergencies and fight crime during a tour of Bob Hope Airport on Wednesday. Police officers demonstrated the T3 electric stand-up vehicle's siren and flashing lights. Its three-wheel design boasts a tiny turning circle, which makes it easy to maneuver small spaces. “We can use it inside and outside the airport terminal and on sidewalks,” said Sgt. Tom Davenport, of the airport police department.

A 31-year-old man who police said tried to smuggle more than 50 pounds of marijuana in checked luggage pleaded not guilty to felony drug charges Friday. Following his plea in Burbank Superior Court, Clarence Williams, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was taken to a Los Angeles County jail facility, where he is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail. Officers arrested Williams at Bob Hope Airport on Wednesday night after one of his two suitcases triggered an alarm as it passed through screening devices, police said.

During his career with the Burbank Police Department, Edward Skvarna often thought that the then Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport would be a nice place to work. Now that he is chief of the Bob Hope Airport Police Department, he is finding out just how true that is. "If I'm not doing some public service, I don't know what I'd be doing," said Skvarna, who lives in the Santa Clarita Valley. "It's a natural place for me to be." Skvarna was named as the new chief of the 32-member department during a ceremony on Sept.

Ryan Carter AIRPORT DISTRICT -- Handguns, paint ball guns, hypodermic needles, knives, jokes and drugs -- you name it, local airport police have seen or heard it, even after Sept. 11. With the publicity about baggage checks and National Guard patrols at airports since the terrorist attacks, authorities at the Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport are sometimes bewildered by the materials people try to pass through baggage checks and screening points.

Ryan Carter AIRPORT DISTRICT -- A 62-year-old Agoura man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of grabbing an airport security screener as she patted him down. The 20-year-old screener, who was performing a routine screening, asked if he would consent to hand search. He did, Burbank Police Sgt. John Dilibert said. But as she patted him down from his backside, he lifted his arms behind him, grabbed her and pulled her toward his waist, Dilibert said.

Ben Godar The attorney representing a developer engaged in a dispute over a crosswalk closure at Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport said he will ask a judge to throw out tickets issued by airport police. Al Augustini, who represents Zelman Development Co., owner of a private parking lot that borders the airport, said he and five others who have been cited -- including Thousand Oaks city officials -- plan to go before a judge next month to get the tickets thrown out. Augustini said he received a ticket after asking an officer on patrol about the citations being handed out. "He said, 'If you want to know what kind of tickets I'm writing, you're going to have to step off that curb,' " Augustini said.

BOB HOPE AIRPORT — A 47-year-old woman who authorities said tried to smuggle nearly 22 pounds of cocaine through a security checkpoint at Bob Hope Airport is scheduled to appear Oct. 6 in Los Angeles Superior Court. Cecilley Grant, of Queens, N.Y., was transferred to Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, where she has been held in lieu of $1-million bail. Grant pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony counts related to possessing, selling and transferring cocaine after airport police arrested her Sunday, said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

A 14-year-old autistic boy who was reported missing after leaving a flight at Bob Hope Airport in Burbank was found unharmed Wednesday evening in West Hollywood, authorities said. Cameron James Smith was found by airport police about 6 p.m. in the 8900 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, said Sgt. Brian Lutz of the West Hollywood Sheriff's station. Lutz said his deputies were notified by the officers and responded to the scene and confirmed that the boy was not harmed. "He was in good condition," Lutz told The Times.

Youths enrolled in the city's Summer Daze day camp learned how airport police and fire departments handle emergencies and fight crime during a tour of Bob Hope Airport on Wednesday. Police officers demonstrated the T3 electric stand-up vehicle's siren and flashing lights. Its three-wheel design boasts a tiny turning circle, which makes it easy to maneuver small spaces. “We can use it inside and outside the airport terminal and on sidewalks,” said Sgt. Tom Davenport, of the airport police department.

A 31-year-old man who police said tried to smuggle more than 50 pounds of marijuana in checked luggage pleaded not guilty to felony drug charges Friday. Following his plea in Burbank Superior Court, Clarence Williams, of Brooklyn, N.Y., was taken to a Los Angeles County jail facility, where he is being held in lieu of $75,000 bail. Officers arrested Williams at Bob Hope Airport on Wednesday night after one of his two suitcases triggered an alarm as it passed through screening devices, police said.

BOB HOPE AIRPORT — A 47-year-old woman who authorities said tried to smuggle nearly 22 pounds of cocaine through a security checkpoint at Bob Hope Airport is scheduled to appear Oct. 6 in Los Angeles Superior Court. Cecilley Grant, of Queens, N.Y., was transferred to Century Regional Detention Facility in Lynwood, where she has been held in lieu of $1-million bail. Grant pleaded not guilty Tuesday to felony counts related to possessing, selling and transferring cocaine after airport police arrested her Sunday, said Sandi Gibbons, spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office.

Scare closes airport entrance, delays flight A bomb scare Saturday morning at Bob Hope Airport resulted in one delayed flight and the closure of a main entrance, airport officials said. At 10:55 a.m., airport police discovered an unattended object left in the doorway of Building 9, an office building next to the Terminal A baggage area. ?[Airport police] determined the possibility that the object had some explosive device connected to it,? airport spokesman Victor Gill said.

AIRPORT DISTRICT — As Thanksgiving approaches, Bob Hope Airport is already feeling the rush of holiday travel. As people move to get a head start on travel plans, the rush is in full force by Tuesday and draws down by Sunday, airport spokesman Victor Gill said. “Year in and year out, Thanksgiving is extremely busy,” he said. “Last year, we had in excess of 20,000 people arriving and departing [in that time frame]. The airlines will be selling pretty good shares of their inventory; most should be sold out.” That is the case with Southwest Airlines, Bob Hope’s most popular airline, spokeswoman Ashley Rodgers said.

BURBANK — Recording artist Cordozar "Snoop Dog" Broadus was arrested at the Bob Hope Airport on Thursday after police reportedly found a firearm and marijuana in his possession. Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority Police approached Broadus, 35, at about 3:45 p.m. in the passenger loading zone in front of the main terminal for an alleged vehicle-code violation, Burbank Police Sgt. Kevin Grandalski said. Questioned by police about the contents of his car, Broadus, a convicted felon, informed police that he was in possession of a handgun, airport spokesman Victor Gill said.