Ottawa Police officers who work at the Ottawa International Airport will be carrying carbine rifles, effective immediately.
The change was announced in a press release Thursday.
Police have had the rifles for more than a decade, but this is the first time officers at the airport will be making use of them.
In the statement, Airport Staff Sergeant Atallah Sadaka says this is a “proactive and preventive” measure and is "not indicative of any intelligence or threat."
Sadaka tells CFRA the guns will allow officers a better tool to respond to a potential security threat.
“I think, if you look around the world, at something as recent as the incident in Flint, Michigan, it’s another layer of ability to deploy a use-of-force option that the officers have,” he says. “It’s an ability to respond to anything that may occur, quite frankly.”
Sadaka says the rifles offer better distance and accuracy than the previous sidearms officers at the airport were carrying.
“And it has the ability to penetrate through various layers of materials, if necessary.”
Sadaka adds that travelers should not be concerned to see officers armed with the long guns.
“This is truly for their safety and security,” he says. “Certainly, with any other security measures we’ve deployed here, the feedback has always been positive.”
Ottawa Airport Authority President and CEO, Mark Laroche is quoted saying, "The Ottawa Airport Authority strives to ensure the highest degree of safety and security for all users of the airport. This includes working closely with our law enforcement partners to regularly employ various security measures such as the deployment of the Ottawa Police Service carbines."