Concerns emerge due to lack of security cameras at PHL after fatal officer shooting
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Ever since 9/11, security, federal and local law enforcement have been hard to miss at the airport.
But police sources said after the fatal shooting of Officer Richard Mendez, they're concerned about so-called blind spots — areas of the Philadelphia International Airport where vulnerabilities exist — like the lack of security cameras.
Travelers at PHL said the murder of Officer Mendez weighs on their minds.
The 20-year member of the force and his partner were gunned down last Thursday in a parking garage — Mendez died at the hospital and his partner survived.
RELATED: "I'm still in shock": Richard Mendez's sister-in-law speaks on the late officer's character
"It actually happened in the garage I usually park in," Tyler said.
Like many, Tyler from Downingtown says he thinks about his own safety while moving about the airport — in and out of the massive parking garages and onto the terminal.
CBS News Philadelphia was also curious about safety at PHL, particularly the parking garages. We spent an entire afternoon walking about the structures looking for cameras.
Lack of security cameras
Inside the many parking decks — none were apparent. Back inside the terminal, the last camera we saw is pictured below.
On the top floor of parking deck E — CBS Philadelphia saw two cameras pointed away from the garage. The panel for one camera was wide open.
CBS Philadelphia contacted the airport — asking for specifics on the number of cameras in the parking garages, including the type and the year installed.
Even before the fatal shooting last week — police have reported a spike in stolen cars from the airport parking facilities.
A spokesperson responded:
"The garages at PHL were constructed almost 50 years ago, at a time when cameras were not part of the infrastructure," a PHL spokesperson said.
The airport confirmed there are zero cameras in the parking garages and continued:
"PHL was working on a planned, multi-phased garage rehabilitation project and was in the process of testing camera technology before this tragedy occurred. Once successful testing is complete, we will work to procure the equipment and begin installation of cameras in all of our garages," a spokesperson from PHL said.
Gina and Jack Ignatowitz of Bucks County were flying to Hilton Head and were surprised by what the airport said — that there were, in fact, no cameras.
"Oh I had no idea," said Gina Ignatowitz, who was surprised by the news.
"I don't think you need to rebuild a garage to put up a camera," Jack Ignatowitz said.
In its statement, PHL told CBS Philadelphia no one was available to talk on camera — pointed to a strong and collaborative relationship with the police department and parking authority — as well as its contracted security firm that monitors areas of the property for safety, separate from federal TSA jurisdiction
"It's a little bit shocking in a big city like Philadelphia that there's no surveillance cameras," Michael Alcazar, a retired New York Police Department detective and criminology professor, said.
Alcazar said cameras are indispensable.
"Surveillance cameras is number one," Alcazar said. "They're there to help. It's a good deterrent — and again with everything going on in the world right now, it's surprising they don't have surveillance cameras."
Asked about the cameras at a news conference, Interim Philadelphia Police Commissioner John Stanford agreed with Alcazar — but cautioned there's no telling if their presence would have altered the tragic outcome of last week's fatal shooting.
"They help in some ways of maybe deterring slightly, but they also help in the investigative process — but I don't know if any amount of cameras would have stopped in this incident," Stanford said.
Philadelphia police haven't said if the murder of Officer Mendez was captured by any other type of camera — either a body-worn camera or a patrol unit dash camera.
The airport told CBS Philadelphia in response to our investigation they're testing camera equipment and will procure it at some point and begin installation.
