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‘We knew something big was happening’: MSP police chief remembers 9/11
Christenson said MSP added officers, 12-hour shifts and new investigations units after the attacks, and airport police now number about 215.
- Reflecting on the 2001 attacks, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Police Chief Matt Christenson recalled his role as an investigative sergeant, describing the post-9/11 period as an era of hypervigilance that transformed airport security.
- Following the attacks, the federal government created the Transportation Security Administration in 2001 and the Department of Homeland Security in 2002; Christenson noted, 'For us, it was this big switch from what was regulated by the Federal Aviation Administration.'
- MSP police operations expanded from roughly 60 officers to about 215 today, while the department established an aviation security investigations division and assigned officers to the Joint Terrorism Task Force.
- While federal agencies now regulate aviation, Christenson's officers maintain daily collaboration with the TSA and DHS, serving as local support when federal agents identify threats like firearms at checkpoints.
- The department remains committed to constant security enhancements because, as Christenson noted, 'We will never stop because the risks continue to grow,' aiming to ensure passengers feel confident and safe.
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Total News Sources16
Leaning Left0Leaning Right6Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
C 57%
R 43%
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