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player ready...The Chicago aviation officer who dragged a passenger off a United Airlines flight last month in an incident that sparked widespread outrage had returned to the job less than two weeks earlier after serving a suspension for violating department policies, Chicago Department of Aviation confirmed Monday.
Aviation security officer James Long, who was seen on video taken by other passengers dragging Dr. David Dao from a United flight on April 9, had come back from a five-day suspension nine days earlier, the department confirmed. Long’s suspension was handed down on March 27, but stemmed from an incident that took place on Jan. 29.
Long and three other aviation security officers were placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of a disciplinary investigation into the incident involving Dao.
In January, Long had violated five department policies: failing to take action as needed to complete an assignment or perform a task safely; inattention to duty, including loafing, sleeping on duty or loitering in the work area; incompetence or inefficiency in the performance of the duties of the position; violating any departmental regulations, rules or procedures; and conduct unbecoming an officer or public employee, according to an aviation department spokeswoman.
The suspension was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times, which got the information through a Freedom of Information Act request.
In a statement, the city’s aviation department said it “has a strong history of ensuring safety at our airports, and our multilayered security approach allows us to ensure that more than a hundred million passengers travel safely through O’Hare and Midway International Airports each year.
“The requested records demonstrate that whenever there is an issue involving any of our security personnel that we work quickly to address it to maintain our high standards of safety for the traveling public.”
In the aftermath of Dao’s removal, the city’s aviation commissioners told a panel of U.S. senators that a new department directive no longer allows airport security officers on airplanes, unless there’s an imminent threat or medical emergency. Chicago Police officers will now respond to any incident aboard planes at city airports.
Twitter: @_tonybriscoe